C'est la Vie
by redheadturkey
Summary: Sometimes even with the best of intentions things go wrong.
1. Chapter 1

Reno paced the briefing room while Tseng ran his mouth about their current mission, emr taping a nervous rythm on his shoulder. He always got like this before a mission, full of nervous energy, he peered over at Rude, who still wore his shades as he always did, but he always was able to read his partner's expressions even through them, it was a gift he had. 

Rude gave a mental sigh as he stood completely still, listening to Tseng's briefing. Seemed there was another riot ready to break out from the protesters of ShinRa's Mako project. There seemed to be more and more of those breaking out, but Rude really didn't care about the cause. As long as there were opponents of ShinRa, he still had a job.

However, with a glance over to his partner, he cleared his throat loudly to get Tseng's attention. Reno looked like he was ready to up and go while Tseng still spoke.

"I think this one will be just like last week's incident, sir," he said, tone indicating that both he and Reno knew how to handle this.

"Yeah, bust a few kneecaps and get the Hell out as unscathed as possible." He gave his cheeky grin, the one that always drove his partner absolutely batshit when they were alone.

Rude waited for it... and there it was. Tseng's exhasperated sigh and the hand motion indicating that they were dismissed. With a nod, Rude turned to leave, reaching out and grabbing Reno's elbow before he could say anything that would intensify the headache Rude knew Tseng had. Tseng always seemed to have a headache when Reno was involved in a mission.

"Let's go," he said, tone low and he pulled lightly on Reno's elbow while he walked towards the door.

Reno nodded, taking off after him. He enjoyed twitting Tseng, mostly because the man was just so severe."You'd think his face would break if he smiled" was one of his favorite phrases in regard to Tseng...his own hand trailed from his shoulder down to Rude's back as soon as he was sure they were completely out of sight. Despite the fact that their being "together" was pretty much common knowledge, he was still VERY careful about what kind of contact he had with his partner where it could be seen. Then after the lightest of touches he drew his hand away, all business.

Face not turning to see his partner at the touch to his back, Rude smiled. For all the headaches and extra paperwork -- mostly extra paperwork -- Reno could cause, it was moments like that which seemed to make it all worth it. Not that he regretted submitting to the redhead's advances... Not that it was so much submitting as it was acknowledging them for what they were... Bah, nevermind. That train of thought would get him nowhere, especially with a "crowd control" mission ahead of them. "The place we're headed is right up the street. No need for the helicopter," he said, finally turning to look at the man walking next to him. "I'm driving," he added, hoping that for once, he would win the coming arguement.

Reno chuckled. Of course Rude would say that. Last time he had driven it had led to more paperwork. ..as well as a concussion for him and a sprained wrist for Rude. The accident had been MESSY to say the least, so Reno merely tossed him the keys and climbed into the passenger side, long, lanky legs crossing, the emr tapping across them in that same nervouse rythm. Despite his bravado. ..something felt OFF about the whole situation.

He... gave up the keys without an arguement? Wow. Rude was shocked, but only smiled slightly to show anything. Perhaps that concussion had never healed? Or maybe Reno felt bad about the wrist? Maybe both? Or maybe -- probably, Rude thought -- he was just being Reno. Rude mentally shrugged, sliding the driver's seat back before climbing into the sleek black car. ShinRa always supplied its employees with the best money could buy. It was good to be a Turk. "How bad do you think it is?" he asked, leaving the parking garage and pulling onto the street. It would take less than 10 minutes to get to the site of the protest, but Rude still wanted to know what his partner thought of it.

Reno shook his head, still feeling something a bit off. "I got a wierd feellin' about this partner. .. you know like I had before the plate. . .somethin's gonna go wrong."

Rude decided it best not to mention that Reno said that every time there was something they were sent to fix. However, this time, he had said it with a little more conviction behind it, which made Rude decide to keep an extra close eye on his partner.He parked the car a block away from the protest in a handicapped spot, placing a card on the windsheild that only said "TURKS" on it. Not that he couldn't get out of a parking ticket, but he just wanted to do things as by the book as possible this time, especially with Reno's feeling.He closed the car door, pulling on his pair of black leather gloves and making sure his extra pair of sunglasses were in his pocket. "Ready?" he asked.

Reno tapped his emr on his shoulder and gave a firm nod. ..before taking out his bullhorn and yelling into the crowd. "Allright, allright, break it up. .. I got no problems breakin' it up myself, but it'd be a lot better for all ya'll if you just cleared outta here on your own." He strode into the crowd, who looked a bit restless, after all this was a TURK that was basically giving them the order to move out, and a Turk was a force to be reckoned with, even this scrawny kid. ..hell ESPECIALLY this scrawny kid. But from the back of the crowd gleamed two sets of intensely blue eyes that gleamed with a bright inner fire.

Rude walked a few steps behind Reno, pausing occassionally to gently push people out of the way and mutter, "Pack it up," or "Go home." A handful of teenagers -- possibly liberal-minded, tree-hugging college kids -- glared at him definantly. Rude just cracked his knuckles loudly and they too joined the slowly scattering crowd. Seemed Reno's original feeling was wrong about this one. Oh well. Wouldn't be the first time, wouldn't be the last. At least they managed to get out of the office for an hour.

Suddenly as Reno ducked into the last crowd of kids he disappeared in a tangle of thrashing limbs, his emr popping out every once in a while, the group was led by the two mako-eyed kids who'd been in the back of the crowd. . .a bunch of bodies flew back under the barage of blows from the weapon, but the last two simply would not fall. ..one of them had him pinned down with a god-awful strength that only one who'd been in SOLDIER could posess while the other was literally beating the HELL out of him. .. he didn't cry out though, much to his credit, only let out soft grunts each time his head impacted with the concrete at each blow to his face.

Rude looked around, but couldn't find his partner's telltale flash of red hair. His eyes widened behind his sunglasses as he spun around, looking for any sign of Reno. There. Deep into the retreating crowd, a group of people stood in a circle. There was something going on in there... something that probably involved Reno.

Rude pushed his way past people, shouting "Move!" at them when they weren't getting out of his way fast enough.

Another tell-tale flash of emr, the one holding him grunted,his grip letting loose just enough for Reno to wave his hand from the circle. ..he was woozy as Hell after having his head battered into the pavement a good dozen times, and his mouth and nose oozed blood, but he had given as good as he got until he ran into two that he simply couldn't beat. Then he was battered down by the fists again, the second more beefy one damn near knocking him out, but not quite.

There. Reno was in there, and in there was trouble. Rude didn't even have a moment to think about how trouble followed Reno around like a bad stink -- not that the redhead smelled bad. He pushed into the circle, eyes homing in on the one that currently had Reno held down. With a low growl, Rude ran at him, tackling him off his partner and rolling the two of them into the wall of feet and legs at the edge of the circle.

"You want to fuck with a Turk," he growled, manuevering until he sat atop one of Reno's attackers, fist connecting with the guy's cheekbone. "You fuck with me."

The other one who had just knocked the Turk sensless sneered at Rude. "So. ..the Seme comes to rescue his Uke, does he? Such a shame someone so pretty has to be working for a dog like Shinra."

There were two of them. He could handle two of them. Rude picked the guy he was sitting on up by his shoulders, slamming him into the pavement, intending him to stay there while he dealt with his accomplice.

"Touch him again," Rude ground out between clenched teeth, "and I will fist-fuck you dry before I tear your eyes out through your asshole."

Rude took two steps forward before falling back into a fighting stance, giving the guy a chance to chose whether he wanted to run away and possibly live, or stay there and definitly die, slowly and painfully.

The guy smirked again, dropping into a fighting stance, he was a bruiser, damn near as tall as Rude, even if not quite so bulky. "Do you know how good it felt to beat that little queer into the pavement? I seen him around, oh yes I have. ..he'd be one sweet piece if he weren't one o' the Pres's lapdogs. Hell, it be almost as sweet as puttin' it to that barkeep frienda his."

Okay. That was it. Rude was a patient man, who really, honestly and truly believed in the inherent goodness and lawfulness of humankind... but this guy deserved what he got. Rude stepped forward, fist flashing out and connecting with the guy's cheekbone.

The guy flew back a good several feet, damn could that Turk punch, but he got back up, fist meeting with Rude's jaw, he was now good and thoroughly pissed off.

Rude's head snapped backwards with the guy's punch. his vision blurring for a moment, but he just growled, blocking the next hit with his forearms before returning blows.

"I gave," he punched the guy in the stomach. "You the chance," another punch. "To leave," another. "But you," and another. "Must be," yet another punch. "Too stupid!" His last punch connected with the guy's jawbone, and Rude felt a satisfying give. Whether the guy's jaw was broken or just dislocated, at least he wouldn't be talking shit as easily anymore.

He landed on his back, that last punch had not only busted his jaw, but had left his ears ringing to the point that all he wanted was to sink into blessed darkness.

Rude dropped to his knees beside Reno, turning the redhead's face towards him. He would have one hell of a headache in the morning, if not another concussion, along with a few more scars and a lot of bruises.

"Are you okay?" he asked, certain that if Reno didn't have a snappy comeback, he was most definitly not okay.

Reno just nodded, but he bit his bottom lip in the telltale way that said he was in a fair amount of pain. ..it was the look he'd worn in the chopper after the plate fell when he'd been blooded fairly bad by Strife during the confrontation. then he let slip a soft curse. His head was pounding, his eyes opening and closing in a slow rythm that told of his efforts to stay awake because his training had drilled into him that falling asleep with a possible head injury was a dumb thing to do.

Okay, Reno was definitely not okay. Rude held up three fingers, asking Reno to tell him how many there were as he pulled his phone from inside his jacket. Reno needed to go to the hospital, whether he wanted to or not.

"Three yo. . .and if you're callin' the emt's hang that fucker up right now. ..I just wanna go back home with you."

Rude was torn for a brief moment. On one hand, he wanted to respect Reno's wishes; the redhead would know if he really needed medical attention. However, Reno was notorious for not wanting medical attention even when he really needed it.

With a nod to his partner, he waited for someone to pick up the other line.

Frowning when the line rang five times, he flipped his phone shut and stood. Looks like he'd have to do this himself.

"Be right back," he told Reno.

Reno nodded. .. his eyes on the verge of drifiting closed again but he literally FORCED them open. He knew he should really get seen to, but he HATED hospitals. ..ever since the plate he'd hated them with a PASSION, and this time was no exception. He simply wanted to curl up in his partner's arms and forget this day had happened. he muttered. "Hate when I'm right, yo. .."

Glancing once down at his partner, Rude stepped over to the two guys laying on the ground, groaning loudly. The first one, which he knocked off Reno, looked at him as Rude stomped down hard on the man's hand, hearing the satisfying crunch of bones being shattered. As that one screamed, he went over to the other one and did the same action on that man's other hand.

"There," he said, "Now you queers match."

He turned from them, stooping down to pick up Reno, holding him as if he were a blushing bride instead of an injured partner.

Reno's eyes finally did drift closed as Rude held him. ..he simply didn't have the energy to hold them open anymore, and he felt safe there. . .he dimly heard one of the two soldiers shout another sexually oriented epithet their way to which he opened his eyes a moment and in somewhat shaky but still audible voice said. "An' so the FUCK what if we are? We ain't harmin' no one else by it, and it helps us work better as a team. You got a problem with what someone else does on their off time, then maybe you need ta get a fuckin' life."

Rude just shook his head at Reno's shout, jostling the smaller man in his arms a little to get him to keep his eyes open. He made it all the way to the car without any problems, but when it came to opening the back door, he was having a little issue doing it without jostling Reno too much.

"Sorry," he muttered, finally getting the door open and laying Reno on the back seat. "Stay there. We're going for a ride."

Reno nodded, but gods it was hard staying awake. "Hate those fuckers. ..really hate them. Told you somethin' was off. ..hate it when I'm right."

Rude didn't answer him, just nodded as he drove towards the hospital. Good thing his condo was only a couple blocks away from the hospital, otherwise he'd already have a headache from Reno yelling in the car... again. "Keep your eyes open," he said quietly, "Talk to me, Reno."

Reno didn't answer for a scary few moments before mumbling. "I love you so much. ..thanks for saving my ass. ..yet again." It was only either in very vulnerable moments like these or in the dark of their private condo after work that he actually said it, but when he said it, he meant it each and every time. "Doin' mah level best, but it ain't easy."

He glanced over his sunglasses into the rearview mirror when Reno didn't answer, but when he heard the sentiment, he smiled. It was a genuine smile, one that only Reno seemed to pull out of him most times. He would have started into the usual speech on how Reno needed to be more careful, that he wasn't as invincible as he thought, but Rude decided to leave that to Tseng.

They had just passed their condo, and Rude glanced back at Reno again, bracing himself for the verbal onslaught.

Reno simply didn't have the energy for the usual barage but he still had to say something. "Shit. ..you were serious, huh? FUCK! You know how I feel about that place." It was token protest at best, he knew he had to say something, keep the brave face up, or Rude would really worry. Last thing he wanted was to worry his partner, one of them had to keep strong. Rude hadn't exactly fallen APART after Sector 7, it would practically take Reno dying for that to happen, but to say he hadn't been himself until they'd been sure Reno was going to fully recover was not overstating things.

"If they admit you, I'll stay with you," Rude said softly.

He pulled up to the emergency room doors, parking the car illegally (again) as he stepped out. He opened the back door, carefully lifting Reno out and carrying him into the emergency room's waiting room.

When the nurses saw him, they scuttled about, bringing out a wheelchair for Rude to place the redhead in and handing Reno a clipboard full of paperwork to fill out while they sent for a doctor.

Reno simply shook his head, his handwriting at the best of times was chickenscratch, something one could blame on an 8th grade slum education, but now HE couldn't even read his own handwriting. "Hope they can read it, partner." Then he cracked a weak smile, one that would reassure some, he was going to bounce back. But then again he always did. Nothing kept him down for long. The man was like a cockroach, despite being so tiny he was damn hard to kill.

Rude smiled, knowing that the best way to get past all of this hubbub. He reached into Reno's inside jacket pocket, pulling out his ShinRa ID card. Reaching into his own pocket and removing his, he placed them both on the clipboard and handed it back to the nurse. He watched as the woman made an "O" with her mouth, rushing back behind the nurse's station and picking up the phone. He didn't bother listening to her conversation, but he knew an excellent doctor would show up in a matter of minutes. It was good to be a Turk.

Reno finally could stay awake no longer, he was utterly exhausted, and the darkness beckoned. ..but at least here, as much as he hated it, it was safe to finally do so. .. besides, he'd rather sleep through the tests anyway. Last time they had put him in one of the mri machines had been. ...less than pleasent for all involved. Rude was really the only one who knew he had a bit of claustrophobia, which also explained his battle style. ..move in, get what hits you can, move out, never grappling too close with the enemy for long. It never seemed to affect his job performance, though. He was quick enough on his feet for it not to.

Rude's heart stopped for a moment when Reno closed his eyes, but the doctor that mysteriously appeared behind him place his fingers to Reno's neck and nodded at the taller man.

"We'll take good care of him," the doctor said as he wheeled Reno down the hallway.

Rude sat as patiently as he could in the waiting room, trying to avoid the eyes of the other people in there. He hated waiting rooms almost as much as Reno hated hospitals.

Elena appeared behind the big man, a call from he hospital had evidently been made that had summoned her and Tseng. "Tseng's out in the car, I'm about to tell him just to go. ..I'm not leaving here. As much as the shrimp drives me nuts at times. ..He's still a fellow Turk, and Turks look out for each other, right?"

Rude just looked up at her and smiled. "Thanks."

He watched her walk back towards the doors, but before she left, he called out, "Tell Tseng I don't think I'm going to make it in tomorrow."

Elena just smiled knowingly. "Figured as much. You never take a day off anyway." With that, she turned and walked out the door.

Rude smiled genuinely at her back. She knew him too well, it seemed. Girl makes a fine Turk, he thought, leaning back in his chair and staring at what had to be abstract art hanging on the opposite wall of the room.

Finally a doctor came out, bearing the news. "No skull fracture this time, but a pretty severe concussion, as well as a broken nose and several broken ribs. He's going to be here a while. .. he's just come up from the mri room, and been settled into his own if you'd like to come back sir."

"Thanks," he said, stopping at the nurse's station to have them let Elena know where he was before following the doctor to Reno's private suite. Oh yes. It was good to be a Turk.

"Reno," he said his partner's name, tone even as he walked to stand next to the bed. The redhead's eyes were closed, and he wasn't sure if Reno was awake or asleep.

Reno mumbled something about chocolate chip cookies, then slowly opened his eyes, he was still REALLY dizzy, and the meds they had him on didn't help in that department. He knew as soon as they wore off he'd be sore as fuck, though, and it wasn't something he looked forward to at all. "Hey, partner. Let me guess. ..I got a vacation how I didn't want to again."

"A week's worth," Elena said from the doorway with a smile.

Rude looked at the girl, then shook his head. Even though Elena was the youngest of them, she still seemed to play mother hen. But with Turks like Reno, maybe they all needed someone to step in as den mother...? Rude shook his head again, smiling slightly.

"So, are you going to live?" she asked Reno. "Because if you are, I need to get back to work. You two being off means I don't get a day off until you get back. And if you plan on dying in here, at least let me get you back for the rubber cockroach in my shoe last week."

Reno groaned. "Not gonna, but sure as shit gonna feel like I wanna once the morphine wears off. ..Figures we'd run into a couplea ex-SOLDIERS who are fuckin' bigots, yo. Probably why they ain't no more."

Elena stepped over and patted Reno's hand. "Then I'll see you next week." She turned towards Rude. "Take care of him."

Rude nodded as Elena walked out the door, then turned back to his injured partner.

"Did they tell you how long you have to stay here?" he asked.

Reno nodded. "Yeah. ..10 stinkin' days, yo. ..they wanna make sure there was no damage from all those shots to the head other than the concussion. Not that it'd make much never mind. I'm already nuts, yo, how much more damage can you do?"

Rude pulled a chair up closer to the bed so he could sit by Reno. Reaching out, he took Reno's hand that didn't have the IV in it and squeezed gently. He looked Reno over, eyes pausing at each bruise, laceration and skin discolouration.

"They got you on morphine?" he asked, remembering that Reno had mentioned it to Elena a minute ago. "Are you on a drip or was it a one-time shot?"

Rude knew his partner had an addictive personality, and the last thing he needed was Reno getting addicted to painkillers, morphine especially.

Reno pointed up to the iv line. "Iv push, yo, just a single shot, but when the shit wears off I'm gonna be hurtin' like a bitch. ..apparantly they got it on record from where I was in here for that OD last year, so they're bein' pretty cautious."

Ah yes. Last year's OD. Rude purposefully tried not to think about that. He looked over at the door, noticing that he could see the nurse's station on this floor clearly from where he was sitting. Which meant they could clearly see Reno and him. Rude squeezed Reno's hand again before going over to the door and pushing it shut.

"It's probably for the best," Rude replied as he walked back from the door. "But aren't they going to give you something else to dull the pain later?"

Reno shrugged. "Probab'ly the oral shit. ..like I said, they're bein' cautious. Tseng ripped ME a new one for bein' so stupid as to go loony on the shit, and THEM a new one for providin' it. Not that I gave 'em much of a choice. .yeah, I was pretty stupid." The OD had been during one of the rougher periods in his life when he hadn't been sure where he stood with Rude, and due to his generous consumpion both of alcohol and illicit substances his standing with the company had been in question too. If there was one thing he required, it was being secure. It wasn't something stated, Hell no, Reno never admitted to feeling insecure, it was something one had to know him well to know.

"Was," Rude repeated, standing up to lean over Reno. He smiled, face inches from his partner's. "Still are, sometimes." He closed the distance between their lips, kissing Reno gently. He knew it was neither the place nor the time, but the thought that he could have lost Reno to those two idiots and their stupid ideas on right and wrong... Okay, so maybe Rude was just as insecure as Reno was. He just chose to hide it differently. Maybe that's why they got along so well. Or, as he felt Reno's tongue push into his mouth, that could have been why they got along so well.

Reno's eyes fluttered closed, but this time with cheeks pinkening in arousal. ..that telltale flush from those times he was able to be alone with Rude. ..the soft growling purr that only HE heard. . .NO ONE, even during his time as one of Corneo's prostitutes before becoming a Turk, had ever elicited that sound from him but his partner, it echoed up from deep in his belly up through his throat, vibrating the flesh there. Though it was swallowed by Rude's questing mouth it was still there.

Rude caressed Reno's tongue with his own, worries about Reno's health melting away as he felt his pants tightening. While he wouldn't be able to do anything about his reaction to Reno's lips and tongue, what with Reno's condition and all, it still didn't stop him from trying to figure out the mechanics of hospital sex.

Reno rolled over on his side in an inviting manner, indicating the drawer that always held a bottle of lotion there. Reno was one who literally CROONED during sex. ..again a sound only Rude heard. Rude claimed those small moans and croons as his own, and the lissome redhead wouldn't have it any other way. Rude was the first person he could truly say he loved enough to stay faithful to.

Rude shook his head. "You're hurt. I don't want to hurt you more." Before the protest he knew Reno would give left the redhead's lips, Rude continued. "No sex until you're off the pain meds"  
He pushed Reno until the redhead was laying on his back again, other hand reaching in an grabbing the lotion from the drawer to set it on the small table next to the bed.

Reno nodded, those his eyes had that hooded look of disappointed need to them. ..he hated this feeling of being less than fully alive, another reason he hated getting injured so much. "Jus' hold me then?" It was as close as he would come to the admission that he hated being alone in this place, hated the way bad luck seemed to follow him everywhere like Death's Shadow.He was supposed to be busting heads. ..when he was on a mission was the only other time aside from in bed with his partner that he truly felt alive.

Rude also gave a nod, then bent down to untie and take off his shoes. He grabbed the blanket from the back of the chair he had been sitting in, draping it over Reno. He knew first hand how cold those hospital gowns could get. He then took off his jacket, draping it over the now empty back of the chair before undoing his tie. The tie went on the jacket, then Rude climbed carefully onto the bed with Reno. He looked at the redhead, eyes asking if Reno was all right.

Reno nodded, then sighed and cooed, backing into the warmth the larger man provided. .. "I could lay like this forever, yo."

"No you couldn't," Rude said gently, smiling into Reno's hair. "As soon as you had to take a piss you'd jump up." Rude tried to get comfortable, but there was still a Reno-caused problem in his pants.

Reno had to supress a chuckle. ..and couldn't resist wiggling just the tiniest bit. ..he was and always had been an awful tease, the fact that when the painkillers wore off his head was going to pound like a bitch didn't change that. ..Nor did the broken ribs, though they did slow things down a bit, especially when he moved a little too fast and it shifted even with the wrappings. "Aw fuck, OW!" But he sucked in a breath and then wiggled a little more, another soft chuckle rising up.

Reno was not helping the situation at all. Rude sighed, the beginning of it sounding like a sigh of exhasperation, while the ending sounded more like a sigh of contentment. "I won't change my mind," he whispered in Reno's ear, hand snaking around to rub gentle circles on the redhead's stomach.

Reno let out a soft mewling sound. . .Rude knew all the spots he loved touched. ..his hair falling loose of the ponytail holder as it snapped, during the fight it had been pretty severely stretched anyway, it fell around his head like a soft red curtain.

Rude tried not to complain about the mass of hair that suddenly assaulted his breathing passages while he stopped rubbing Reno's stomach to push the strands away from his face. His hand quickly went back to rubbing Reno's stomach, occassionally dropping to rub at the redhead's thighs, but not too close to where Rude knew Reno really wanted his hand to be. Served the tease right, anyway.

Reno groaned. "Stop teasin' me, yo. ..that's MY department. ..God, I feel like I'm gonna bust outta this damn thing."

Rude lifted his head, noticing the way the hospital gown was tenting, and chuckled. "Having a problem?" he asked, voice low and rumbling in his chest.

Reno growled. "Oh, you are so gonna get it when I get outta here."

"I can't wait," Rude said, leaning his head forward to touch his tongue to the tip of Reno's ear as his hand barely brushed his partner's arousal before going back to his stomach.

Reno literally SHUDDERED...and then whispered. "Not gonna hafta piss anytime soon, they got me hooked up to a foley which just makes the shit worse, yo. . ."

"Do you want me to stop?" Rude asked, breath ghosting over Reno's ear and gently moving the stray hairs that managed to fall over his ears. He pressed his body against Reno's back, letting the redhead feel just how turned on he really was.

Reno shook his head "fuck no. ..gah. ..damn tube always gets me all hot and fuckin' bothered, yo."

Rude shook his head and laughed to himself. In the many years they'd been together, Reno's kinks never ceased to surprise him. Rude, personally, found the idea more painful and irritating than arousing, but hey, to each his own. And to Reno? Rude reached down, fingers touching the ends of the hospital gown before slowly sliding up the redhead's thighs to finally cup Reno's testicles.

Reno arched back into his hand. ..shutting out the thoughts of how close it had really been. ..no one knew but him, and he was the only one he had intent of knowing, though Rude probably did anyway, he was just GOOD that way. But it truly had been close, a few more blows to the head and he likely would not be here to feel this...being either dead from brain injury or too damaged to realize it, which made him as good as dead anyway. ..it was well known what "retirement" for a Turk meant, aside from a few VERY special circumstances, in most of those cases the ones involved had been too damaged to even REMEMBER the intel they were ordered to keep secret, much less breach security.

Rude slid his hand up to lightly encirle Reno's arousal. He squeezed experimentally a couple times, not exactly sure how to properly do that without jostling the tube too much. Before Reno, his sex life consisted of mostly vanilla things, with the occassional mild dominance play, but nothing like what he was sure Reno had done. Nothing at all.

Reno gasped and arched further into his touch. "Ngn. . .Rude. ..Gods.. ."Rude was right about that, Reno had done some EXCEEDINGLY kinky things in his time, with women and men both, but most of what he'd done he'd been PAID for and he had not felt especially safe doing. . .Rude on the other hand could do almost anything short of raping or killing him and he'd feel safe still. The inhibition against rape was part the natural hatred of people usurping his will and part something that had occured with a particularly nasty john that he at 14 at the time had not been equipped to defend himself against. And the guy had not only been fairly brutal with him, he hadn't PAID him either, which had pissed him off to no end. But like how close to dying he had come he put it out of his mind, his cheeks becoming deeper pink, and that flush spreading over his face as his breath became hitching gasps.

"Can you... with that...?" Rude asked. See? Total vanilla wafer. He paused for a moment, reaching back to grab the lotion from the table where he set it.

Reno was so flushed with arousal right now he didn't CARE.He just wanted...to feel like he's not in this damn place. . .he moans softly. "Gods. .yes. .."

Rude shuddered, Reno's voice doing things to him that nobody's else's ever could in a lifetime. He quickly covered his palm and fingers with the lotion, tossing it onto the bed before wrapping his hand back around Reno, his grip more confident and less worrysome than before. He slowly moves his hand first up, stopping only when he accidentally touches the tube coming from Reno, before sliding his hand back down.

Reno's form shuddered harder, his muscles growing so taut you'd think he would break, but GODS it felt great. ..His breath becoming even more labored, but with arousal. . . "Don't ever stop. ."

He kept that slow pace even with those delicious noises that fall from Reno's lips. In fact, Rude slowed his strokes even more, taking what must feel like forever to complete just one motion. Rude's tongue darted out, touching the redhead's earlobe before he captured the piece of flesh between his teeth. He stopped just long enough to whisper, "And what are you going to do for me?" Hips pressing against Reno with each word, showing the smaller man just how hot and bothered he was making Rude.

Reno gasped. "You're gonna find out soon enough..." Another hitching gasp echoed, followed by the soft rumble that started deep in his gut that signaled him coming close. That rumble would noromally build into either a rafter-shaking roar or an high-pitched, eldritch screech reminiscent of a woman in hard labor but he knew that wouldn't fly here so he buried his face in Rude's neck, using the mocha-toned flesh there to muffle the sound.

Rude chuckled deeply, suddenly picking up the speed of his hand on Reno, pushing him to get off, and fast. "Come for me," he whispered into Reno's hair, spitting out the stray red strand that got into his mouth.

Reno let out that high shriek, it was buried in Rude's neck, but the sound rumbled against his skin, effectively muffling it enough that no one would hear it as hot, white fluid splashes against Rude's hand, Reno's slender form stiff, head back, back arched, his mouth open wide in this "o" of outright rapture, his eyes screwed shut tight. ..NEVER did he look so beautiful as he did when in the midst of release.

Rude continued to gently run his hand up and down Reno's fading arousal as he watched his partner return to as normal as Reno could possibly get. That was probably one of his favourite faces of Reno: the one where he went from total incoherency towards realization of the bliss he'd just experienced. "Now what?" he whispered in the redhead's ear as he tried to clean his hand off on Reno's hospital gown. Normally he wouldn't have a problem using his mouth, but lotion wasn't nearly as good on his palate as Reno's taste.

Reno gave that glowing grin that in his post arousal state usually meant he was up to something. .and something he was. ..removing whatever obstacles still remained in his way, he moved all the tubing aside the best he kid to get into a position to return the favor, the catheter over to one side, the IV stand moved closely enough to the bed that he could prop himself on his hands without pulling it out He dove onto Rude's shaft with what was the attitude of a man starving to death, tounge working the head in a manner to make a statue moan, then the jaw distending almost to the point it looks like it may dislocate in order to take the big man all the way in. ...his eyes close. ..he really shouldn't be doing this but right now he simply didn't give a shit. .. his hair was stuck to his face and back with his own sweat, and he crooned around the length in his mouth to make the vibration add to sensations.

Rude had a brief moment, right as Reno was decending upon him, where he remembered mentioning that they would no be having sex until Reno was off the pain medication. However, Reno's mouth convinced him that what Reno was doing was both not real sex, and possibly illegal in a few cities outside of Midgar. His head flopped back, nearly missing crashing into the headboard as a low moan escaped his lips. Speaking lips, Reno was reminding him just why he loved his redhead's lips. They were so nice to him. So nice.

Reno took him into his throat with not even so much as a gag, He gave head like a pro, though Rude was the only one he shared it with now. Then with a bare whisper-scrape of teeth his head bobbed back up, then down again, his tounge curving around it like a lollipop Hell, not only was the particular ACT he was performing illegal in a lot of places outside midgar, what they SHARED was as well, but he didn't give a shit. He loved who he loved, and if anyone had a problem with it, fuck 'em. He was a Turk, and thankfully exempt from the sodomy laws. He just had to be sure Tseng never SAW any of his gestures of affection. His tounge and lips waggled around the head as he picked up the pace a bit.

Rude groaned, one hand fisting the covers on the bed while the other held Reno's hair tightly. He felt his hips jump up to meet Reno's lips unconsciously as he groaned again. Were he with anyone else, he could hold out forever. But with Reno... hell, Reno made him feel as inexperienced as a teenager and could make him get off just as quick. He was already so close, which was very much a testament to Reno's skill.

Reno moaned around him again, smiling a little, his unencumbered hand reaching around to cup Rude's sac, and the index finger playing the tiniest bit at the entrence. Not delving in, but just tapping around the outside, the other fingers squeezing a bit. His mother's occupation of a blues piano player, though due to her dying young she'd never become too well known, had blessed him with those long, slender, nimble fingers. He drove Rude's cock deeply into his throat again with that vibrating hum as he did so

And... that was it. Rude was done. He felt himself twitching in that wonderful mouth as he spilled himself into it. He closed his eyes, just feeling the afterglow washing over him in the wake of his orgasm.

Reno literally collapsed onto his side afterward. ..the ache in his ribs suddenly making itself known as the morphine began to let loose its hold on his senses. ..the clenching and twitch around the corner of his eyes telling quite eloquently of the explusion of the drugs from his system. the headache hadn't hit yet, but he knew it wouldn't be too far behind.But he didn't care. .. Hell no. That experience was worth every bit of pain that was likely to follow. He holds onto Rude tightly. "Gods, you smell so good. ..if anything ever happened to you. . ." And a single tiny bit of moisture pricked his eyes as he spoke, but he refused to let it get past that point. Turks didn't cry.

'If anything were to ever happen to you,' Rude thought, but he wasn't the sappy type. At least, most of the time. He swore. Grunting just a little, he leaned forward, pulling up the blanket up to cover them both. He slid his arm under Reno's head, letting him rest on his arm."You okay?" he asked, voice gravelly.

Reno has bitten his lip raw already but he nods."Shit yeah. .just the morphine just wore off, yo. .kinda feels like Bahamut kicked me in the gut."

Rude chuckled a little. If Reno's humour was back, he would recover just fine. "You want me to get the nurse?" he asked, placing a chaste kiss on the redhead's forehead.

Reno nodded. .. he was still scared but he covered it with humor. ..he was actually more afraid of being addled than of dying. .. Hell he'd RATHER be floating amongst the dead in the Lifestream than be mentally disabled. That was the most frightening thing he could imagine ever happening. He knew Rude would love him just as much and probably FIGHT to keep him from being "put out to pasture" so to speak should that happen, it was frightening for him. He'd SEEN it happen to his own mother, his father had given her a signifigant blow to the head that had regressed her to a mental 3 year old child before he finally got sick of paying for her care instead of his booze and brought her home to die. It hadn't been long after that the bastard himself succumbed to cirrhosis.

Placing another chaste kiss to Reno's head, Rude carefully slid out from under the redhead. He stood at the foot of the bed, straightening his wrinkled clothing as best he could, and retucking his shirt into his pants. Oh, and fastening his pants. That would help, too. He opened the door and poked his head out, signalling to the nurse at the nurse's station to come over. When she did, he explained that Reno's morphine had worn off, and the tiny girl nodded and said she'd be right back with a slightly less mindnumbing painkiller.

Reno when Rude came back had started shaking as the impact of the day kicked in. .hitting to the extent that he couldn't shut it out. .. for the first time in ten years he could see the blow that had basically destroyed the woman his mother had been. He had been all of maybe 10 or 11 at the time, and for a child to see such a thing was scarring beyond measure, no way around it. The wicked punch the barrel-chested redhead had delivered to the more willowy redhaired woman's chin that had flung her backwards. ..the sound of the sickening crack that her head had made when it hit. . .'Hold it together, Reno. ..you're a Turk, Turks don't have breakdowns' He told himself that, but it did not a bit of good.

Before the nurse had come back, Rude heard a noise like a whimper behind him. He looked at Reno, seeing him shake like the proverbial leaf. "Nurse!" he bellowed down the hallway, quickly going back to the bed. "Reno," he called his partner's name but recieved no response. Frowning, he touched Reno's hand, still recieving no acknowledgement. He grabbed both the redhead's wrists, holding his arms down on the bed on either side of him, leaning over Reno and he tried to catch his partner's eyes. "Reno," he tried again, with no luck. "Reno! Look at me!"

Reno suddenly just fell into him. ..all of it spilled out in one long, gasping gush of words. ..from what had happened to his mother, which was classified information only the President, the Vice President, and Tseng aside from himself had access to. ..to his own fear of such incapcitation and how it had brought on the flashback which had left him trembling in its wake. ..with it came a hitching breath that was one of fierce attempts not to cry. .. he hadn't cried in his entire career, and damned if he would now.

Rude froze. Reno's mother... and father... and...? It was too much to process all at once. He just stared at Reno, jaw occassionally clenching and unclenching as he tried to find something to say. But what could he say?

Reno then looked up at him, his eyes overflowing and not a damn thing he could do to stop it. ..but Rude would be the only one to see them. He'd DIE of humilation if anyone else ever did.. ..then the rest came out, the things he'd never shared with anyone. The foster family from Wutai that had basically taken him on because it was the only way they'd be able to adopt the Wutain baby that was the one they REALLY wanted and had made him feel so brutally unwelcome. .. how he'd at 12 run away and joined one of Midgar's street gangs that had 18 months later SOLD him to Corneo, who ran a brothel that catered to ones who had a taste for feminine men and little boys. ..then how he'd run away from THERE to prostitute HIMSELF until he'd been found by Rude and Tseng when he'd picked the leader's pocket only to lead them a merry chase across two sectors and ten city blocks before Tseng had caught him. ..that had begun at age 16 his career with the Turks.

Rude thought he needed a cigarette. And he said as much. "You can't smoke in here," the nurse spoke up from behind him.

"Get that out of him," he pointed to the catheter, "And get him a wheelchair. We're going outside for a smoke."

"But what about this?" she raised up a syringe with a clear liquid in it.

Rude nodded, getting off the bed and standing by the door.

Reno closed his eyes as the nurse slid the needle under the skin of his arm, the screwed them up in preparation for the sting of the catheter coming out, when it did he yelped, but little more. ..his mind was in too much disarray at the moment to do much more than that. ..his eyes pinning Rude's from behind his shades, when they opened they were still wide with that slightly haunted look about them. One could always read Reno's emotions in his eyes.

Stepping away, the nurse started, "I don't think it's a good idea to go out--"

"He'll be fine," Rude grumbled lowly. "He just needs some fresh air."

'And I need some nicotine,' Rude thought to himself as he shooed the girl away from the requested wheelchair. He knew Reno'd had a rough life, but he had no idea the extent of it. Really made his own days growing up in a less wealthy section of the plate seem like the cake walk they were.

Reno as Rude helped him into the chair uttered his first truly coherant words since the flashback. they were shaky, but they were not anywhere NEAR as shaky as the relating of the events of his pre-Shinra life had been. "Need a cigarette, yo. ..Hell, I'd say I need a JOINT, but mary jane and pain meds don't mix well. .. "

Rude grunted an incoherent syllable, going behind Reno to push the wheelchair with one hand and the IV holder with the other. He was not going to lecture Reno on just WHY the company had mandatory drug tests; he'd leave that to Tseng. Besides, he couldn't really talk, he'd been a runner at the ripe old age of 18, way back when on the plate. Got out of the business by 19, though. One too many bullets dodged and he was done. Little did he know he'd end up a Turk a few years later and be dodging bullets yet again. He snorted at his thoughts as he pushed Reno outside and away from the building. Rules were rules about cigarettes and nearby oxygen tanks. He pulled his pack of Bahamut Flares from his pants pocket, taking one out and handing the pack to Reno.

Reno sighed as he took one out, lighting it with still-shakey hands. .. letting the nicotine hit his system in a rush that began to ease the shivers. "Thanks man. ..shit. ..I had NO idea that was comin', yo. ..none at all. ..it just slammed me like that damn truck did Palmer."

Rude nodded, taking a deep draw from his cigarette and letting the smoke out slowly. Yes nerves, love the nicotine, let it calm you. Finally, he looked down at Reno. "Your mother, or your father?" he asked quietly, taking another short hit before continuing. "Which do you look like?" He was trying to picture everything Reno had said in his head, but for some reason, he was having trouble with some of the details.


	2. Chapter 2

Reno tilted his head up, looking back at his partner, and leaning into the arm nearest. "Mum.. .I looked like Mum, got her build too." He took a photograph out of his wallet, the picture was old, yellowed, and somewhat dogeared, telling of its age. In it was a tall man, built a lot like Rude, tall and muscular, the man had a cap of military-cut rust-colored hair, but he had the same mint-green eyes as his son. The woman was tall as well, and very slender, her hair the same fire red as his own, but her eyes were more an emerald color.

Rude grunted, acknowledging Reno's words as he carefully took the photograph into his hand. The picture looked strangely empty to him. "Any siblings?" he asked, being reminded of his own. His elder brother had taken up the family business when his father fell ill, and his younger brother, as far as Rude knew, was still involved in that motorcycle gang. There were no family pictures, other than school ones, that had less than three people in them, be they him and his brothers, his parents, or other family members.

Reno's eyes took that hooded look again, but he nodded. Had told his partner everything else, might as well share this too. "Had a big sister. ..she tried to protect me an' mum when she could when Dad got drunk...She was 7 years older. ..when I was 9 and she was 16. ..she was killed in a car wreck. No one ever knew if it was an accident or intentional. Me, I think she just got sicka watching Dad beat on us." under the photo he had handed Rude was another one, the girl in it looking much like their mom, but she had their father's hair.

Rude grunted again, keeping his comment of how Reno's sister was kind of hot to himself. That was neither the time, nor the place for such comments. He carefully handed Reno back the photographs, looking across the parking lot as he took another hit from his cigarette. He was still just trying to process Reno's life story.

"m'tired." and his eyes were showing that slow blink again, he'd begun falling asleep on Rude's arm. "Think we should go back in, fallin' asleep on ya here." His words were slurring very sleepily as he said this.

Rude nodded, finishing his cigarette quickly and flinging the butt into the parking lot. He carefully arranged Reno's IV bag so he could push it and his wheelchair without jostling the redhead too much. He needed his sleep.

Reno settled into the bed, his eyes closing. ..but he didn't waken even when the tray was brought in for supper, the smell of food almost always woke him up. . .something that would probably have Rude somewhat concerned.

Rude's nose twitched as he smelled food. He picked his head up from where it rested on Reno's bed. He blinked; Rude didn't remember falling asleep in the chair with his face on the bed. The last thing he remembered was thinking how boring it was to watch Reno sleep a drug-induced slumber. "Thanks," he said to the nurse that had brought the food, voice a little rough from sleep. He stood up, joints popping in protest of being forced to rest in such uncomfortable positions, eying the food that had come in. "Reno," he said, touching his partner's arm.

No response, not so much as a twitch, then the monitor next to him began showing a few occasional blinks on O2 meter, as if his body would sometimes "forget" to breath for a few seconds at a time, then would return to normal. he lookoed so serene and peaceful, there, though, his face completely free of the lines that normally settled along his brow.

"Reno," Rude said a little louder, poking Reno's arm a little harder. "Get up. Food's here."

Again, not even a twitch, and a gentle moan rose from the still form. Something wasn't right here.

"Reno. Get up." It was a command that time, and at Reno's lack of response, Rude quickly went to the door, summoning the nurse.

The nurses immediatly came into the room, and at the patient's lack of response called in a doctor, who had a gurney with him, down to the imaging room once more, but this time he turned to Rude "You may accompany us if you wish."

Rude nodded, grabbing his tie and jacket from the chair before he left. As he walked with the group, he straightened his shirt, put on his tie, and put on his jacket. In the room with Reno, he could be casual, but outside the room... he was a Turk, afterall.

It took an hour total for them to get the whole scan, and it soon became apparent why he had fallen into a coma between morning and sppertime, and the doctor pointed it out. "There were subdural bleeds here" He pointed at a spot in the front "and here" one toward the back and a bit frighteningly close to the brain stem where all autonamic function rested. "quite likely caused by the jostling of the brain against the skull itself during the attack. These things quite often do not make themselves apparant until the next day, and they are quite often missed on initial examinations as well. This is why with suspected head injuries folk are normally kept overnight, so things of this sort can be caught before they become too dangerous."

Rude nodded, silently wishing the doctor would get to the point. All the explaining did nothing if it meant Reno was going to not recover.

"We are going to place him on a course of drugs that should reduce the swelling, though if they do not work a hole will have to be surgically drilled into the skull itself. Action always must be taken quickly with this sort of injury, however. Damaged brain tissue can repair itself, but any that has died in there won't replace itself. if it can be done quickly he should make a full recovery, though some impairment is likely at any rate, most likely in the form of reading difficulities." He gave the paperwork that gave the permission for the drug treatment and possible surgery to Rude, h e was after all officially the one to make decisions in Reno's care, Reno had signed the forms to have it so after the mess at the plate.

Rude, for once, didn't bother reading through the paperwork and just signed it, realizing that the doctor's statement of time being of the essence was very true with head injuries. He'd had a few himself in the old days. Nothing as serious as what Reno was dealing with, but a few minor concussions and a plate in his head from a fight gone bad. "Whatever it takes," he said to the doctor, tone implying that if anything were to happen to Reno's wellbeing, Rude would hold the doctor completely responsible whether it was his fault or not.

"Yes sir" and with that the redhead was taken back up to his room, the bags with the drugs placed above the bag with the hydrate solution in it. Reno's eyes would twitch on occasion, as if he was dreaming, which with the muddled state of his head at the moment was entirely possible. "Dad" he mumbled "No' her fault." before falling silent again. His entire life was swirling around in his head all at the same time, images too fast for him to absorb.

Rude indicated to the nurse that if Reno did anything other than mumble incoherantly, he was to be notified immediately. With that, he walked outside the hospital, lighting a cigarette and taking his phone out of his pocket. It was time to call Tseng with the good news.

Tseng answered with a very tired sounding voice, as if he had half-expected something to go wrong. One could also hear the Vice President's voice in the background. "Report"

"If you're busy, sir, I can call back," Rude offered, trying not to smile as he heard Rufus ShinRa's voice asking 'Who is that?'

Tseng made a noise over the phone, one that sounded almost like a sight sigh. "No sir, report, please, I know you'd not call if it was not serious."

Rude figured he might as well skip all the pleasantries. Seemed Tseng was in a mood. "Reno's in a coma," he said. "Head trauma from the protest. A pair of possible ex-SOLDIERs jumped him. They have been..." he paused, "warned."

Tseng gave another sigh then placed Rufus on the phone at the blond's gesture. It was well known to the Turks that though the VP would never admit it, he saw Reno as like a kid brother almost. "I want you to stay with him, Mr Urar, until he recovers, and not leave his side if at all possible, I will send Elena over with the laptop, you can enter their physical descriptions into it, and when you have the names I will send Tseng to handle the situation. . .personally."

"Yes sir," Rude acknowledged. "Are there any other orders, sir?"

Rufus could almost be heard to smile over the phone, as if he knew and this was why the two partners had never been seperated. "Make him feel safe to come back to us, that is all."

"Yes, sir," Rude repeated, hanging up the phone and finishing his cigarette. He walked back inside the hospital, pausing at the nurse's station to question Reno's status since he stepped outside.

"No change sir, though something he mumbled did sound like YOUR name, though we were not sure, and you looked to be on the phone, so we did not retrieve you."

Rude rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, not faulting the girl for assuming he had important business to attend to, but he did tell her to alert him if anything happened... oh well. "Thank you," he said, nodding to her as he returned to the room.

Reno's head lay on the pillow, his face a bit paler, the respritory therapist came in with an oxygen tank and nasal cpap tubing. His breathing hadn't gotten poorly enough to require a ventilator, something that if Reno were awake enough would be grateful for, and Rude likely as well, the full tube down the throat was a frightening vision that didn't suit the normally vibrant young man at all.

Rude returned to the chair that still sat next to the bed. He took off his jacket and tie, setting them on the back again. Reno looked terrible. He pushed a few stray hairs out of his face, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do.

Elena stood in the doorway with the laptop now, she lowered her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rude. ..we all know what he means to you, and this. ..it's not right." She'd hit the nail in the head, right off. It wasn't right for Reno to be laid up, to be forceed to face the thing he had feared so badly since he was a boy.

"Thanks," Rude said, standing up. His mother had always drilled into him on standing up from your seat when a lady entered the room. However, he could only imagine the look he'd get from Elena for calling her a lady. He smiled slightly, taking the laptop from her. "I'm sure he thanks you, too"  
Elena nodded "Anything you need, anything at all, just call me, Big Guy. You know I'll do everything in my power to make it happen" She knew what he'd say if he could realistically wish it. .. for this day not to have happened. ..and she shook her head at herself, wishing herself she could make it so.

"Thanks," Rude said again, gently placing his free arm around her shoulders in a slight, gentle hug. "Now, get going. Tseng can't afford to have both of us watching Reno sleep." He tried to make light of the situation, something he'd learned from Reno to help make it seem less devastating than it actually was.  
"He'll bounce back, Rude, you know he always finds a way"  
"I know," he said, squeezing the girl gently before turning to walk back to his chair with the laptop. He supposed it was as good a time as any to write up that report.  
Elena strides back out, the dark eyes sad.

Rude opened up the laptop, watching Reno in the fading light as the machine booted up.

Reno's eyes opened. ..blinking once. ..then twice. They held no true awareness as yet, and how much remained would not be known until he awakened fully, right now he floated in the half-aware state between sleeping and waking.  
Rude stood up quickly, laptop forgotten as it fell to the floor with a crash. "Reno?" he asked, "Reno, can you hear me"  
Reno just stared at him, eyes still clouded and hazed with fog, as one would expect after being comatose even for as short a time as he had been, his mind still caught in that maelstrom of memory from the past.  
"Reno?" Rude asked again, then frowned slightly. He leaned over the bed, tilting his sunglasses up to rest on the top of his head as he looked at Reno's blank face.

He blinked twice again, then tears touched his eyes, though his face still remained emotionless, it was like chinks appearing in an expensive bit of armor "Hey," he said softly, leaning down to rest his head on Reno's chest. "It's okay. It'll be okay."

A doctor stood in the door, but didn't enter. It almost felt sacriligious of him to see this but he spoke softly "I see the medications have done their work. I had not expected him to awaken if they did so at least until tomorrow, though. He is stronger than any of us could have imagined"  
Rude stood quickly, the appearance of all Turks to keep up. "Thank you," he said, only a hint of the weight of his emotions in his voice. "When do you think he'll regain full consciousness"  
"Quite soon, if the speed of his recovery now is any indicator, mayhap in a few hours"  
"Thank you, doctor," Rude said, trying to put more than just words into those words. He sat back down, taking Reno's chilled hand into his own as he watched the redhead like a hawk.  
The green eyes have some of the fog melt from them and a whispered sigh comes out, he gestures toward the nightstand idly with his right hand, where a pad and pen sat, he attempted to ask for them, but only a few garbled syllables came out.  
"You..." Rude asked, only a little confused. "You want to write something? Are you okay enough to do that?" He knew how Reno could be, knew that the redhead would try to do something even before he should just so he could say he did it.  
Reno nods, closing his eyes, As they squeezed shut the tears that had been resting along the lashes fell.  
Rude did as Reno requested, as if Reno could request something Rude wouldn't do... Other than that thing with the potatoe masher. He was still totally against that. "Here," he said, placing the pad and pen in Reno's hands.  
He scrawled across the paper quckly "Every time I try to talk it all comes out garbled. What the FUCK'S happening to me?"

Rude looked at the pad, then turned on the small table lamp on the stand next to the bed. Reno's writing normally was terrible, but this chicken scratch was worse. He could only make out the words "I", "all", "FUCK", and "me." At least, he thought he could make them out. Rude frowned, then looked at Reno. "Do you want some water"  
Reno nods, then tries again, this time more carefully, forming each word in a hand that was at least legible.

Rude got a cup from the bedside table, walking into the adjoining bathroom to fill it with cold tap water. He helped Reno take a small drink, a little water dribbling down his chin. He took the tablet from Reno, again trying to read the writing. "You were in a coma," Rude said, finally able to make out the majority of the note.

Reno shook his head. No way in Hell had that happened, and he wrote as much. "I was sleepin' on you last I remember. I mean I was hurtin' yeah, but a coma? No way." His shook his head emphatically to emphasize the point. "You wanna know what happens when I try ta talk?" He opens his mouth, his tounge and lips trying to form the words "I love you" but the words are all jumbled, and it can be heard to be a stutter so pronounced as to make anything he said sound like a garbled mess.

"Don't push too hard," was all Rude could come up with to say. "You're still recovering."

"What if it never comes back?" He just shook his head. "Everything else seems intact, but shit, you know me I'm always talking." He punched the bed in frustration.  
Rude grabbed Reno's fist, gently kissing the knuckles before setting the hand carefully back on the bed. "It'll come back," he said evenly. "Don't worry about it."

He nods, but his eyes show a certain wariness and when he writes again it says "Rude.. .I want you ta kill 'em for me. When ya do. . .I want ya to bring me back their heads, They damage mine. .I'm gonna crush theirs."

"The Vice President has it covered," Rude stated, looking for the first time down at the dropped laptop. He picked the piece of machinery up, making sure that it was still intact. "I need your help describing them," he said, sitting down and straightening the laptop on his lap. Before Reno could make another noise or write anything down, he interrupted. "I'm going to read what I'm writing. You tell me if I'm missing anything or get anything wrong, okay"  
He nods slowly, his chest rumbling with an inartiulate roar of frustration that he keeps buried, again much to his credit, and it shows his growth in the self-control department since Rude came into his life.  
Rude returns Reno's nod, opening up a document template and beginning to type. "Two attackers, both of which were warned before force was used. Attacker One... I didn't see him when he first hit you. What happened?" he asked, setting the laptop on Reno's lap to let the redhead type.  
Reno types quickly and it says when he is through "He grabbed me from behind by my ponytail and then pinned me down, didn't even see him until I'm staring up into his face. His eyes even glowed brighter 'n Strife's yo. That's when his buddy came in and started spittin' out shit about how fags had no place here an' how Shinra didn' either and just started whalin' on me while the other one held me down. Shit, those bastards were strong."

Rude turned the laptop to face him, fixing a few of Reno's spelling mistakes and adjusting a few of his sentences, then reading it outloud. "Attacker One grabbed Reno from behind by the hair, then pinned him down. Attacker One's eyes held a familiar Mako glow, indicating that he had, at one point, been in the SOLDIER program. Attacker Two said several sexual epitats in regards to Reno's and my sexual preferences, which degenerated into several verbal attacks on ShinRa Electric Power Company. Attacker Two proceeded to hold down Reno while Attacker One assaulted Reno." Rude paused. "Sound right"  
Reno nods then gestures for the laptop again. his eyes are narrowed now, tounge flicking around his teeth and lips in concentration. He was in full Turk mode now, and fury broiled under the surface, covering the fear that was still there, but he was going to make sure these two bastards got what for.  
Rude sat back, watching Reno work. When Reno actually worked, he was a damn fine Turk. Well, Reno was damn fine anyway, in Rude's opinion, but that was neither here nor there. Waiting for Reno to finish, he took a small sip from the cup of water he'd gotten a few minutes earlier.  
Reno passes the laptop back to him, and when he does he'd combed the shinra database. the names read "Douglas Marshall, First Class" and had the photo of the one who'd held him down. The other said "Kenneth Strife" and it was the one who'd beaten him. underneath was a notation about Ken being Cloud's cousin, who had left Nibelheim shortly after Cloud but had actually gotten THROUGH the training. .. the other. . .the other was Elena's cousin. he typed out on the notepad "Laney's gonna shit a brick and prob want in on this kill herself when she finds out one of 'em was her cousin"  
Rude was speachless. Of all the people... He'd known Douglas Marshall from a long time ago, but, with the name being so common, it never even occured to him that Elena's cousin in SOLDIER and that narc were one and the same. The useless sack of flesh still owed him 1000 gil for the pound of pills he fronted him. Not that 1000 gil meant much to him now, but it was the principle of the thing. Small world, it seemed. "I'm going with Elena," was all he said.  
"Bastard got farmed out for a failed drug test. Least that's what it says here. Fuck. . ." and he remembered what else had been said as well. "They ain't the only ones, yo. ..Not even the boss is gonna be safe. ..we gotta take the head of the group out, but he didn't say who it was."

Rude was torn, the emotion of it showing on his face. On one hand, he wanted to stay with Reno until the redhead recovered, but on the other, he had a few people to pay back, for more reasons than one. Decisions, decisions.  
"Go on, yo. they need you." A slight shiver could be seen in his hand as he typed this, he didn't WANT to be left alone, but he wanted his boss safe. ..he wanted everyone he cared for, those of whom he owed his very LIFE, safe.  
"You need me," he said, standing up and taking his phone from his pocket. He dialed Tseng's number again, not paying attention to the time of night it was. "What is it, Rude?" Tseng asked over the phone. "We have names, sir," Rude replied. "Kenneth Strife and Douglas Marshall." He paused to look at Reno. "Elena's going to want Marshall, but I want a piece of him, too"  
Rustling could be heard in the background, Rufus' voice sounded a bit gravelly, as if Tseng had awakened him. "Cloud is going to want in on the first one, guaranteed. You of course may have in on the kills, I would feel the same were I in your place and Tseng in Reno's"  
"Yes, sir," Rude said, mentally adding how he and Marshall had a history, and a score to settle. "Sorry to wake you, sir." He paused, looking at Reno again. "Reno is awake, but it will take a while for him to fully recover"  
"He is very quiet, I expected him to be screaming over the phone." His voice has a slight amount of humor leaking into it. He obviously did not know about the disability from the injury, one that not even the one who had had it inflicted upon him knew the full extent of as yet.  
"It is... part of his injuries, sir," Rude explained without really explaining anything. The subject was still too close to Reno, and Rude didn't want to upset him more than he already was about it.

"I see. ..tell him. ..no matter what occurs from here, his place with this company and at my side will never be taken from him. No matter WHAT that blimp in charge has to say about it." with that the phone was given back to Tseng, and Rufus' high giggle could be heard in the background for a moment, as if Tseng had tickled him.  
Rude had to resist the urge to laugh. Of all things the Vice President didn't do, it was giggle. Instead, he just smiled, waving off Reno's quizzical look with a mouthed 'I'll tell you later.' "Yes, sir. I will do that, sir." Rude dropped back into a more serious mood. "I'm sending over the report, along with Reno's findings. Let me know when you find Marshall"  
Tseng is holding back a laugh as well as he speaks "I will do so, though something tells me it will not take long." Then Rufus saying "Oh, you are SO right" before the line clicks in his ear.  
Rude blinks twice at the phone in his hand, closing it and putting it back in his pocket. The look on Reno's face says it all, and Rude can't help but laugh. "Tseng..." he started, a small chuckle breaking through his demeanor. "Tseng tickled the Vice President... and he giggled"  
Reno's chest could be seen shaking with laughter, though it doesn't come out audibly then he writes. "I think he was doin' more than ticklin', yo. Man, if the Pres found out. . .but I ain't tellin' him"  
Did he mention that before Reno, Rude's sex life had amounted to nothing but vanilla? It took him a minute to realize what Reno was saying, but when he did, his smile widened. "Log on to the hospital's wifi and send that report before we forget," he asked, looking at the bedside clock. "And it's late. We should get some sleep"  
Reno grins, shipping it off to them with his chest still shaking. then he grabs onto Rude, pulling him down, burying his face in the bigger man's neck. He wanted to ask him. . .even if he never talks again would Rude still love him just as much? But he thinks he knows the answer.

Rude pulled away, stopping Reno's silent protest with a kiss to the nose. He walked over to the door, closing it as he unbuttons his shirt. If he was going to be staying in the hospital for any amount of time, he'd need a change or two of clothes. He carefully folded his shirt and placed it on his jacket and tie, toeing off his shoes as well. He climbed onto the bed with Reno, careful of the smaller man's condition. The last thing he wanted to do was aggrivate anything.  
He clings to him. ...his chest shaking again not with laughter but instead with emotional release, Now that the fury had fled what was underneath it was bared.  
Rude just held him, wrapping his arms around Reno tightly, but not too tightly. He made a small shushing sound, only barely loud enough for Reno's ears to hear. "It's okay..." he muttered. "Just get some sleep"  
He falls asleep exhausted against his partner. ..this had been an insane whirlwind of a day. ..and he needed the rest.  
Rude felt the little twitch as Reno fell asleep. Reno always had one last twitch before finally falling asleep, and Rude was happy that at least that had remained intact. Not realizing how truly tired he is, he nods off quickly as well.  
As the morning light played against the window he floated from deep sleep into that place of muted awareness where sounds and smells came to him slowly. . .his eyes not yet open, it was how it had always been, he always awakened slowly and with much reluctance, usually curled up around Rude's back, who by that time would already be sitting up and waiting Reno's awakening so they could share a cup of coffee and begin their day.  
The day's events had exhausted Rude more than he cared to admit. However, there were no admissions from the still sleeping man who lay on his side with a nice warmth at his back. He heard the hazy chirp of birds outside through his sleep, but chose to ignore them in favour of staying by the nice warmth. A slight snore left his lips, daring the sun's light to try to wake him.

Reno of course tried to speak his customary "good morning", in his half-aware state forgetting completely about the prior day's events. ..when it came out as "g-g-g-ood M-m-m-orning, l-l-lover" the reminder was there againh. .. at least he could be understood now, which was a distinct improvement, but the stutter still brought a red flush of shame and embarassment to his cheeks.

Another snore left Rude's lips, along with a low rumble. The warmth behind him was speaking to him, so he guessed it was time to get up. "Mmm... just a few more minutes," he mumbled, rolling over to face Reno. "Actually," came a female voice from the doorway. "I need you to move so I can check his IV." Rude's eyes were instantly open, and he was nose to nose with his redheaded lover.  
"H-hey? ugh, n-n-needle sh-shi-shifted." The back of his wrist was an angry red where during his little "excursion" the previous day he had pulled it a bit to one side without realizing it. "f-f-fuck, s-sore." He is obviously pushing himself, sudden determination flaring in his eyes. ..he was going to beat this no matter what it took.  
Rude quickly, yet carefully slid off the bed. A slight flush tinted his face and chest, darkening when he tried to adjust his tie, only to find that it wasn't on his person. He wasn't into casual partial nudity, and he had seen how the nurse had given him the once over as he stood, straightening his pants and trying to get the wrinkles out of them. The nurse left them for a moment, returning with a tube of cream. "Numbing cream, then we're going to reset that IV and change your bag," she told them.  
"Wh-why w-w-w-wouldn't she l-l-look, y-yo?" He slaps Rude's ass with a resounding "thwack", a bit of his humor returning despite the circumstances.  
Rude's eyes were as big as saucers as he fumbled for his shirt, throwing it on but leaving it unbuttoned as he searched for his sunglasses. He cleared his throat, throwing an unheated glare at Reno for the smack. "Hard not to," the nurse said conspiratorily to Reno, applying the cream then changing the IV bag while she waited for it to soak in.  
He smirked, his eyes meeting his aibou's in a way that said he'd be glad to pay for that smack once the nurse was gone. then a soft inaudible curse as Rude's phone rang. "N-n-not al-already d-d-dammit. N-now I w-w-won't get ta." and his cheeks flushed even more red as he realized what he had ALMOST said out loud.

"Yes... yes, sir," Rude answered, still a little off from Reno conspiring that that nurse. Besides, he didn't even have to look to know that only two people would call that early in the morning, both of which warranted a 'sir'. "I'm readjusting the IV now," the nurse told Reno. "You don't have to look if you don't want to"  
"We've found him, Mr Urar. and his home is as of now surrounded, he will not be leaving any time soon"  
Reno meanwhile had his head tilted to one side, it is common knowledge that the only needles he could stand were self-administered, and even then he didn't look.  
"Where is he?" Rude asked, commiting the address to memory. It wasn't that hard, seeing as how the address was right up the street from where Marshall had asked for the front all those years ago. "I see, sir. I'll be there in 20. Thank you, sir." He hung up the phone, eyes hard behind his sunglasses. He turned to Reno, leaning over and pressing his lips to the redhead's. "I'll be back in a few," he said gently. Rude turned to the nurse. "Keep an eye on him. Call me if anything changes," he looked over at Reno. "Give her your cell," he looked back to the nurse. "My phone's speed dial number..." Rude paused, coughed a small cough, and silently cursed Reno's sense of humour. "69"  
Reno nods and smirks now, his eyes still held just a TINY bit of that haunted look, but they were hard as rock beyond it, determination turning them to steel. "B-b-b-be c-c-c-careful, y-y-yo. Y-y-you d-don' c-c-c-come back t-t-ta me I'll n-n-n-never forgive you"  
Rude nodded, a dangerous smile crossing his face. Even the nurse could tell that whatever he was going to do, he was going to enjoy it immensely. "Have fun," she said, finishing fixing Reno's IV. "Give me an hour," Rude said, "If I don't call by then, call me." With that, he grabbed his jacket and walked out the door, reaching into his back pocket for his leather gloves.  
He smirked, his emr was checked into the locker downstairs. ..he wanted to go, Gods, did he want to, but he knew if he sprang himself like he had after the car wreck Rude would likely tie his ass down.

Rude was a man on a mission. He managed to make it to the address in exactly 20 minutes, and as he stepped out of the car, he saw Elena's blonde hair through the sea of navy suits and ShinRa uniforms. He walked up next to her, hearing her bark orders the entire time. "So, he's in there?" Rude asked her, knowing he startled the younger Turk just a little.  
Elena nods. "Yeah. ..Man, am I pissed off." She barks something to Cloud, who as Reno had predicted had wormed his way into the takedown. "They're both in there. . .Aunt Maybel has officially disowned the bastard." She didn't even flinch when he spoke from behind her, all business, though her stance radiated her fury in a way you wouldn't think it would from the giddy schoolgirl demeanor she had displated in the Mythril Mines.  
"I want Marshall," he stated. At the blonde's look, he added, "We have some unfinished business from a long time ago"  
Elena shrugs. "As long as I get to beat on him some you can have the kill"  
Rude nodded in acknowledgement, then began cracking his knuckles. "Whenever you're ready. This is your show." Even though he was the senior officer, he let the girl have command. It was her operation after all; he was just there for some serious payback.  
She nodded and slammed the door open with her foot, she knbew HE knew she was out there, and she had a huge group of SOLDIER with her as backup in case things went sour. Which of course they did. as soon as she slammed open the door a can behind it gave a soft explosion and gas flooded the room., "Shit, GAS"  
Rude pushed forward, past the SOLDIERs spreading out in the quickly fogging front room. "Elena!" he called, reaching for the girl and pulling her back out the door behind them. Before she could protest, he pointed to the second floor of the house. "We go in up there"  
She nodded, though she had begun to feel a little strange from the gas, dizzy, her reactions slowed a bit, but she wasn't going to tell him that, simply compensate the best she could. "and hope the windows aren't booby trapped too"  
He stalked around to the back of the house, pointing to the covered back porch and the window above it. Rude helped boost Elena up to the roof of the porch, himself climbing up the post. "Ready?" he asked, facing the window.  
She nodded, then opened the window, only to pinwheel her arms wildly when a crack sounded accompanied by the whiz of a bullet, she yelled Rude's name, as it had ricocheted off the windowsill and bounced in such a way that it whizzed right for his side. "Get down"  
He'd heard Elena's yell, and it seemed like time had slown down to a crawl as he watched the bullet wizz towards him, himself unable to move fast enough to avoid it. All he could think of was how he'd lied to Reno about coming back. Time returned to normal as Rude's head hit the top of the covered porch. Pain lanced through his side, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle... yet. He sat up, pushing towards the window again with a loud, inarticulate yell. 


	3. Chapter 3

Elena was instantly helping him into the window, now that the damn boobie traps are all sprung, she shook her head, Rude should not be trying to get in on this mission with the wound, but she knew damn well he in his own way was as stubborn as his partner, and telling him that would only earn her a glare that said "shut the fuck up and let me work" so she helped him through the window and ripped a strip off her own shirt to bind it up the best she could instead."Let's get this over with so we can get you back to your man before he tears me a new one for letting you get hurt."

Rude grunted once, a sharp nod telling Elena that he was all right. At least, all right enough to continue.

"Let's go," he ground out, standing.

She followed behind, but was watching him like a hawk. "They'll likely have more boobie traps, so keep an eye out." she opened the door to the bedroom they'd crawled into after stepping behind it and motioning Rude to do so as well. Good thing too, for it released a flurry of arrows from a crossbow set up in such a way that it triggered when she opened the door.

"He's gotten smarter," Rude mumbled, sidestepping the arrows as he crossed the room, eyes searching for any kind of movement. He gestured for Elena to step away from the doorway before stepping into the hallway. He braced himself for... nothing. Rude frowned.

"Seems to be the doors right now" Then she ducks as a gout of flame seems to come out of nowhere "Flamethrower. ..or someone is up here with a Fire materia.

Rude reached into his pocket, pulling out the small handgun that he hated to use. Ducking the fire one more time, he spun directly into its path, firing two shots at where he thought it was coming from. If it was fire materia, he was good. If it was a flamethrower... well... he hoped his reflexes were as good as he thought they were.

"So. ..hello cousin. And yes, I have gotten better. . and that was only a second level fire spell. would you like to experience a third level? Or maybe I'll just cast sleep on you both and leave you in here to burn. Then I'll just go pick up your man. I'm sure Corneo would love his little redheaded pet back." The figure in the shadows laughed darkly.

Another voice spoke up next to his. "Yeah. don't matter if he has a stutter or not when his mouth's busy elsewhere, eh, does it, Dougie?"

Rude tried to pinpoint their location based off their voices, but could only make out a general area. He only had two shots left, and he cursed himself for not walking in with a fully loaded weapon. He'd been too cocky, something he always yelled at Reno for.

"We got some unfinished business, Marshall," Rude said quietly.

Elena somehow knew, she always did...she slapped a clip for his pistol into his hand with a quiet sound.

That voice again "So did me and the redhead. Corneo's offered me enough gil for me to live the rest of my life and pass down for two generations for return of his best whore. Didn't intend to get him dmaged, we were supposed to start that protest and carry him off. But if ya got a problem with me we handle this like men."

"Good," Rude said, finally pinpointing the source of the voice. He pocketed the extra clip Elena had given him, wondering how the girl knew he needed it. It didn't matter though. All he had to do was...

"So, how about that 1000 gil I fronted you, man?" Rude said, raising his handgun at the startled sound he heard and firing both shots.

Douglas had moved to one side just in time to avoid being pegged in the head, though one grazed his arm, his buddy had taken one in the leg but was still walking he spoke up. "By the way, I had your man once I may not care for 'em much normally, but with Corneo offerin' to give samples how could I resist. you put a blindfold on and you'd never know it was a guy beneath you. Skin smooth as silk, man. .. and tight. ..man he was tighter than any virgin on earth. And damn can he scream, just like the whore he is. I enjoyed it a lot. . woulda done it again too but too many people around. Maybe before I deliver him back to his master."

Rude was injured. He knew he was injured. He knew he was injured bad. But that didn't stop the roaring cry he let out as he shouted, "Shut the fuck up!" In what appeared to be a single movement, Rude ejected the empty clip from his gun, slammed home the clip from Elena, and fired pointedly towards the voices until the gun clicked empty in his hands.

Kenneth lay against the wall bleeding his life out on the floor. ..Douglas had slugs in both arms, and one in his shoulder, but that didn't stop HIM from melting out of the shadows. ..he smirked at Elena and at Rude as he informed the of one more thing "Oh. .and it won't be long before he joins you here. ..I think. ..I'll just leave you to burn." and with that the green flash of an Escape spell from an Exit materia lights up the room for a moment as he disappears from sight.

"shit. ..he had an Exit materia. ..why the HELL did shit go so wrong? Why didn't we forsee him having some fairly high level materia?" Elena is cursing herself for being fifty kinds of idiot, as well as for not equipping the Exit she stored in her nightstand drawer that morning which would have made getting out of this flaming hellhole loads easier.

"Fuck!" Rude growled, turning and putting his fist through drywall. He found a better target for his anger, though, and stalked towards the dying man that lay against the wall down the hallway. His usually controlled anger seemed to seep from his pores, all the frustration and helplessness and just plain anger going into the first, second, and every punch thereafter he landed on the mortally wounded man. Fire around them bedamned, Rude didn't care.

Reno meanwhile was pacing. ..he had waited the prescribed hour then he yanked his phone off the nightstand, the numbers "69" flying out of the nimble fingers. ..waiting. ..while the phone rang. "C-c-come on, R-r-rude! An-answer!"

Rude heard nothing but the sound of his heartbeat in his ears and the low growling sound that came from his throat. The man below him was already past dead, but he kept beating him nonetheless.

"Rude! We have to get out of here!" Elena yelled, jogging over and trying to pull Rude off his human punching bag. "This whole place's going up!"

At Elena's touch to his shoulder Rude stopped, blinking through the rapidly thickening smoke. After one more punch that held all he had behind it, he stood, dusting himself off as if nothing strange had happened, as if he hadn't completely lost it.

Reno hung up and cursed. ..that was it. ..he was out of here.. He unhooked the IV line and the monitor cords, took his uniform out of the closet and changed into it, then bullied the charge nurse into getting his weapon out of the locker. "I'll b-b-b-be b-back, I p-p-promise, but I g-g-g-gotta s-save him!".

"Come on," Rude's voice was rough as he grabbed Elena's hand and ran towards the nearest window. He hadn't realized how bad the fire had gotten while he was... occupied. He opened it, possible booby trap be damned, and pushed Elena through. He followed the girl, landing on his feet from the second story jump before collapsing. He'd forgotten about that bullet in his side, and the landing had shifted it most painfully.

Reno strode up to the house just then...seeing the house in flames but not seeing Rude or Elena at first he fell to his knees, shaking his head in disbelief. " N-no. .. G--g-gods. ..n-n-no. ..."

Rude tried to stand, only to have his legs not cooperate and go right out from under him again. He grimaced at the pain lancing through his side. The smoke he inhaled made him cough, and he was most not pleased at the tinge of red that accompanied the action.

Elena had already dialed out for the paramedics. ..then sees the flash of red hair in the front yard that suddenly began to dive for the house. "I'll be right back, the emts are on their way."

Rude nodded, or at least he thought he nodded. He wasn't entirely sure. Without thinking, he dug his phone out of his pocket, noticing that he missed a call. He frowned, remembering that he said he would call Reno, then looked at the time on his phone. Damn, it was over the hour he'd given himself. He held down the two button to speeddial Reno's phone. He coughed again, spitting out the smoke-darkened phlegm that still had a hint of red.

The phone rang until he his answering service that said "Yo, Reno here, I can't talk at the moment, as my mouth is otherwise occupied, when it's done with what it's doin' I'll call you back." answered.

"Sorry I missed your call," Rude said, pausing a moment before adding, "Hope you're feeling better, partner."

Rude closed his phone, then rolled onto his side. Breathing while laying on his back wasn't working quite so well for him. For a moment, he mused on how he was not in a very dignified postion, nor was he in a very good position to be the model Turk. He frowned, pride forcing him to roll onto his stomach and attempt to stand again.

Reno meanwhile was searching the burning house for his partner, calling for him desperatly. ..while Elena at the same time searched for him, as she had seen him enter the house. ..then a creak followed by a ringing scream as a burning i-beam fell, pinning him underneath it. "H-h-h-help!" He cursed himself for leaving his phone on the nightstand back at the hospital as he tried to shove the beam off his legs.

Rude had made it to his knees when he heard a resounding crack within the house. The place was about to collapse. He was glad there wasn't anyone else in there. He looked up, realizing that somewhere between the fall and his slow crawl towards the front lawn he'd lost his sunglasses.

"Sir," the paramedics nodded at him as two of them lifted him up, draping his arms across their shoulders to carry him towards the waiting ambulance.

Elena's head suddenly pops out of the window "We need help!"

After the yell, Rude would find red strands on the ground under his knee.

"Elena!" Rude croaked. He thought he'd gotten the girl out of the house, and there she was, leaning out of the window yelling for help. Damn fool girl, he though.

Rude weakly pushed at the paramedics, only to have them catch him as he started to fall, all his strength reserves exhausted. He closed his eyes, finally realizing that Elena had said 'we need help,' not just that she needed help. Rude frowned, eyes catching on something red, yet not his blood, on the ground.

"There are firefighters on the way that are equipped to handle this sir, they will get your friends out of there, they will be here in just a very few moments."

Rude's head snapped to face the paramedic, the full body pain more than visible in his eyes.

"A redhead," he choked out, "Is there a redhead running around here?"

"There was one in the front yard about ten minutes ago, sir, he looked a might upset" It was the greyhaired next door neighbor that was walking his dog.

The firefighters pulled up with wailing sirens, men in masks running into the house as another loud creak sounds. the roof would collapse any moment.

"Skinny?" Rude asked the man, shouting over the sirens. "A bit of a stutter?" He had to know. If that idiot checked himself out of the hospital again...

"Yes sir. ..but I turned away a second to catch Rocky here and he was gone.".

"Fuck!" Rude swore loudly, cursing his injuries and how useless they made him feel. That idiot had checked himself out, and it was all Rude's fault. Okay, maybe it was partly Reno's fault, too, but if that idiot got himself killed because Rude didn't call him... Rude would never, ever forgive himself. He watched helplessly as more firefighters rushed into the burning house, willing them to bring Reno out alive.

Ten minutes later, the house completely collapsed in on itself, wood and other flaming debris crashing in from the second floor onto the ceiling of the first floor. It would not be long until the first floor collapsed too. ..

Rude was laying in the back of the ambulance when he heard the house crashing. He sat up quickly, fighting the dizzying urge to vomit from moving too quickly. He squinted his eyes, trying to catch that telltale flash of red or blonde hair.

Two figures where born out on the backs of firemen. ..both of them still, probably smoke inhalation. ..the fireman with the soot-caked redhead strode over to the ambulance "We found him sir."

The little blond had soon awakened and took the car back to headquarters in order to report back to Tseng.

Rude nodded, a flash of relief followed by a flash of concern going through him. "Is he...?" he asked, his voice sounding rougher from overuse and smoke inhalation.

"He'll be allright, just his legs are a little banged up, got caught under a fallen beam, and some smoke inhalation. He wouldn't let himself pass out until he found out you were safe. You got yourself a dedicated partner there, consider yourself lucky."

"Thanks," Rude coughed, laying carefully back on the gurney in the ambulance. Lucky? He wasn't lucky. Reno was the absolute luckiest little shit on the goddamn planet. Rude was so going to rip into him for that stunt once the redhead woke up.

The fireman set the lithe redhead next to his partner, who almost automatically curled into the big body. ..one could feel how the entire body shook with such force bones could be heard rattling. In his unconscious state, Reno couldn't hide how terrified he'd been of losing Rude to the fire.

When they arrived at the hospital, again, Rude was immediately rushed into an operating room to remove the bullet still lodged in his side. That was going to leave yet another scar. Before Rude could ask where they were taking his partner, the sedatives they'd given him via IV kicked in and knocked him out.

Reno was actually being wheeled into the adjacent surgical suite in order to repair the damage done to his legs by the beams... .when Rude awakened he would find the slender redhead next to him in the recovery room, the eyes slowly beginning to fllicker open and closed as if he was debating awakening and enduring the toungelashing he knew he was in for or just sleep a little longer.

Rude blinked his eyes as the sedative wore off. The room was unnaturally bright, which made him frown. After a moment of thought, he realized that the room was that bright because his sunglasses were off, which made him frown more.

It took him a moment to realize that the luckiest bastard on earth was sharing a recovery room with him, but when he did, he spoke evenly to him, nothing in his tone indicating his irritation.

"You checked yourself out."

"Y-y-you d-d-din't an-answer the ph-phone.. .n' wh-when I g-g-got there an' s-s-saw the h-house. .." He looked down, then reached out with Rude's sunglasses. "I f-f-found 'em."

Rude turned his head and gave Reno a small smile, taking the sunglasses and putting them on before continuing.

"You told me you wouldn't."

Reno's face blossoms into a bright blush "I kn-kn-know. ..I c-c-couldn't l-let anything h-happen to y-y-you th-though. I l-l-love you t-t-too much, I s-s-saw th-the h-h-house on th-the t-t-tv and was t-t-terrified of l-l-losing y-you."

Rude sighed. He needed more than his and Reno's hands and feet together to count how many times he and the redhead had this conversation in the past.

"And what about you?" he said just as evenly, tone almost like a father lecturing his child. "You were... are still injured. What if something happened to you?"

That blush grew even deeper. "If I l-l-lost y-you. ..I m-m-may as w-well b-be d-d-dead."

Rude was briefly reminded of the lectures his father had given him, every time he came home either with a new injury he couldn't hide or when he was escorted home by the police. He sighed again; though his father was a good man, Rude did not want to become him.

Thinking over Reno's words again, Rude resisted the urge to tell the redhead that he was, indeed, a big boy, a Turk even, and could take care of himself.

"Reno..." he was at a loss for words, wishing he could make his partner understand what hearing what Reno had done did to him out there.

"I kn-know I w-w-was s-stupid. ..I.. ." and for once he also was out of words to tell Rude how much he meant. ..How he really and truly was Reno's life. those damp green eyes pinned Rude's from across the room and the bigger man would be able to see just what would have died with him.That spirit, that flame and strength that the smaller one had been able to build for himself after he and Rude had become more than friends and suddenly the BOTH would remember the last time Reno had taken a blade to himself. .. the first night he'd been a Turk. .Rude had found him in his shower with the crimson water all around him and lifted the blade out of his hand. ..put his arms around him and promised him as long as he never did it again Rude would always be there for him.

Rude had to look away. He had to. Otherwise... He didn't deserve that much adoration. True, he'd helped save Reno from himself, but that was just it; he'd helped. Reno'd actually done most of it on his own; Rude was just there to catch him if he fell. He sighed deeply, taking off his sunglasses to look back at Reno.

"Just... listen to me next time, okay?" he said with a faint hint of a smile. "I'm not as dumb as I look."

He nodded, but he bit his lip this time in concentration. "What do ya say we go out and get totally mindblown trashed and then go home and fuck when all this is over?"

Okay, so Rude wouldn't have put it that way exactly, but since he was thinking of it, it wasn't a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.

"Sounds good," Rude said, then another thought popped up. Man, he was so turning into his father. "And no chasing pain pills with shots, got it?"

"Aww, but it's half the fun when ya got enough mako in yer blood to light a city block." He grinned devilishly. ..then suddenly realized. ."it's gone. . ."

Rude blinked. He blinked again. It had taken him a moment to realize what Reno had said; he'd gotten so used to deciphering the stutter. He blinked one more time before uttering a "hn" sound.

"That still doesn't mean you get to take your pills with booze," Rude said, then rolled back onto his back to stare at the ceiling. "Besides, too much Mako's bad for you."

Rude's breath caught in his throat. How many times had his father told him that when he came home tweaked out on whatever he was running that day?

Reno suddenly laughed, just glad the old bean seemed to be back in working order again. . .when the orderlies come to take them out of recovery, the two start wheeling them in seperate directions when he said "I don' fuckin' think so!"

"We're in room 278," Rude said.

The look the orderly gave him made Rude want to laugh... too bad laughing hurt way too much at that time. He fished inside the folded pants in his lap, removing his wallet then flashing his ShinRa ID. It was good to be a Turk.

Reno reached out and grabbed his partner's hand as they were taken back to their room. ..he was glad they were both alive. . .glad to be with his partner even if the circumstances were less than ideal. "You know if that bastard survived he's prob'ly already told Corneo. ..and that sick fuck prob'ly has half his enforcement squad lookin' ta try ta retrieve me. We should be on our guard."

He knew it wasn't the best time to ask, but Rude did it anyway. He needed to know, both as Reno's partner, and as his lover.

"Why does Corneo want you so bad?"

Then his face suddenly paled as he connects the face on the photograph. ..with the face of the one who'd stiffed him after using him so brutally then. "Shit. ..not only did he stiff you. ..he fuckin' stiffed ME yo!" and then he turns away. "Ya know the Sector 7 Red Barons street gang, right?"

Rude snorted. Did he know them? Did he know them? He was only hired by them every other week to pick up several rocks for them. Whether it was crack, cocaine, heroine, or that half Mako rock shit, he didn't know, nor did he really care. But Reno didn't need to know that. There were a lot of things in his past he was less than proud of that Reno didn't need to know.

"Yeah, I know them."

"I ran with 'em after I ran away from that fuckin' Wutain bastard. ..well. ..I was a mule for 'em for a while. ..you prob'ly seen me once or twice loaded down with rock and didn't even know it. Anyway. ..Corneo came scoutin' fer boy prostitutes in Sector 7 an. ..well. .." his voice grows hushed. "They sold me to him for 3500 gil and 10 pounds of rock."

"How did you know?" he asked evenly as his mind raced to remember if he'd ever seen Reno back then. He knew him to be a natural redhead, but for some reason he couldn't remember ever seeing any redheads running with the Red Barons. He was suddenly far less concerned about why Corneo wanted his lover than how much of Rude's past said lover knew about.

"They had my hair dyed dark, yo. didn't want anyone in authority to find me. .. " Then Rude would suddenly remember the scrawny, dark haired kid with that hair styled in wild spikes, it was short then, and he always carried a backpack, usually full of mako rock or crack.

Yes, the little black-haired kid. The one with the easy smile and even easier lips. A tiny voice in the back of Rude's mind quipped 'Hm, small world' as Rude just stared blankly at Reno. "What else do you know?" he asked.

"I remember the night I got these, yo." He gestures to the marks on his face that had long ago been tattooed over. "You really saved my fuckin' bacon that night. ..fuckin' sleezbag pimp tryin' ta recruit me. ..said no and he sliced my face up. ..if you hadn't come outta that alley with a delivery when you did. ..shit man, we wouldn't even be talkin' right now."

"What else?" he asked. Rude needed to know. He needed to see if Reno had been there for his lowest moment. The time he'd shown up empty handed and the gang had nearly sent him to the hospital. He'd been beaten, then taken dry, then beaten again. He sincerely hoped Reno hadn't seen that.

"I was the one who called the cops and the emts, yo. ." He shivers. ..what they had done to HIM that night for helping Rude had been beyond description.

"Shit."

If Rude had hair, his hand would have ran through it. Seems he didn't have any secrets from Reno after all. So much for sparing the redhead. What he was sparing him from, Rude couldn't remember. He shook his head, decided that was enough revealation on his past for one sitting.

"So they sold you to Corneo..." Rude prompted, trying to get back to the original subject.

"Yeah...ya know that place next the Honeybee? The house of Flowers? He put me to work there. .I was 13 goin' on 14. ..Barely got paid enough to eat an' put rags on my back, much less save any gil. ." he paused a moment. "Douglas. .I said he stiffed me yo, like he did you. .not only did he stiff me. .he was fucking brutal. ..Tore up the ligaments in two vertrbrae and ripped me ta fuckin' hell. ..I couldn't even walk straight for two weeks, much less work." he takes a breath. "Anyway, I was the one who made him the most money, natural redheads are rare as Hell here. Conditions, as you know from when we busted the joint 6 months ago, are horrid there. . .so eventually I ran."

"I fronted him a pound of pills for 1000 gil," Rude said, mentally adding 'just in case you didn't already know.' Okay, so he was still a little rattled by Reno's admission to knowing his past. Rude wasn't proud of it, but... well, it made him a better Turk, he thought. Maybe that's why a lot of Turks had records...

But Rude knew full well that he couldn't just walk up to Corneo, drop 3500 gil and 10 pounds of rock on his fat ass and call it even. No, Reno's running made him unbuyable.

"When he catches me, yo. ..he's not gonna give two shits I'm a Turk. ..Hell, that'll make it even more enjoyable for him. I don't even wann KNOW what he'll do ta me. ..but he'll never pimp me out again, I'm no longer trustworthy."

Rude had a pretty good idea what would happen to Reno, and it wasn't pretty. He sat up, grimacing only slightly as the wound in his side pulled and reached for his phone. He dialed Elena's phone and waited for her to pick up. Right after asking how he and Reno were, Rude went right into explaining what he wanted done. He was through playing around.

"I want two Turks guarding our door and one at each entrance to the hospital until Reno and I are discharged by medical professionals," Rude looked to Reno at that last part, making sure the redhead knew he wasn't going to skip out early anytime soon. "I want a tail on Corneo and a constant contact with the Red Barons of Sector 7." He paused as he listened to the girl. "Yes, Elena. I will. I'll tell him, too. Thanks."

Nurse came by the door and said to them "Oh, by the way, there was a big blond guy and couple of his bodyguards looking for the redhead here earlier, just thought you should know,"

Rude quickly called Elena back, and he was sure Reno could hear the blonde's "WHAT?" on the other side of the room.

"Corneo's already looking," he told her. "I want those Turks here yesterday."

As he hung up, Rude turned to Reno. "You okay?"

He nodded, looking a little rattled. "If I hadn't come after you. .. shit...If I hadn't left ama. ..fuck. .." It was almost too much to absorb, his good fortune.

Then he looks over to his nightstand and curses. "He took my fuckin' phone!"

As Rude processed the information, a slow, almost predatory smile broke across his stony face.

"Good," he said, flipping his phone open and pressing a few buttons. He waited for the application to open, glancing over at Reno once while he waited.

"Everything, every address an' phone number was in there, even the boss's. ..Let's get him before he c'n make use of it." He had some other secrets on that phone, too, but they weren't his.

"Want to know where your phone is?" Rude asked when the program on his phone loaded. He handed the phone to Reno, a zoomed in map of the city on the screen with a little red dot moving across it. That predatory grin stayed on his face as he remembered just why he wrote that program.

He shuddered. ..Hell, he'd seen the inside of tha building more times than he cared to remember. ..he'd almost died there after one of Corneo's more brutal punishments for holding out on him. "That place ain't a good one"

Rude rolled over on to his side, gesturing for Reno to lay with him.

"Trust Elena," he said, "The girl's a Turk."

He hitched himself over and layed next to him "S'mI, yo. .you think that woulda stopped him from takin' me? Besides, he'll take her just ta weaken us.. ..He... he beat the Hell outta me in that building. Had two of his guards tie my ass up and then used onea those nasty whips with the caltrops on the ends of the lashes 'cause I held out on him. ..I was gonna run then."

Rude inhaled deeply of Reno's hair. He smelled of smoke, but that didn't bother Rude. In fact, he kind of liked the smell of smoke, reminded him of when his parents would take him and his brothers to the countryside for summer vacation.

"He wants to touch you," Rude said, hand splaying possessively over Reno's chest. "He goes through me."

He inhales Rude's scent as well, doing his best to tamp down the almost preternatural terror of old demons. "'swhat I'm afraid of, Aibou. . ..He wouldn't hesitate. Only reason I'm tampin' down the urge to take off ow is 'causea you. ..and knowin' we got guards outside."

Rude could hear Reno's slum accent thickening with every word he said. The redhead was terrified, and he knew it, yet it killed him that there wasn't anything more he could do about it until they finished healing.

"Trust them," he whispered into Reno's ear as he nodded towards the two Turks that had appeared outside the door. "And trust me."

Reno snuggled down into him, He wanted so badly to just fuck away the terror. ..fuck away the memories, let his lover prety much just fuck him clean again, but it wasn't possible right now, so he did the next best thing and leaned heavy against him. There were things that Rude DIDN'T know, other reasons Corneo was an image of terror for him, but due to the intervening years he was ashamed to say it, He had been 13 then, 8 years were a lot of years, but every time he thought of the bastard getting his hands on him again 8 years and Turk training melted away and he felt like that kid again.

Rude chuckled slightly when the nurse was stopped by the two Turks at the door and questioned about her syringes. It was the same nurse that had oogled Rude earlier, and he found it more than mildly funny the hard time they were giving her. However, when she was finally admitted inside, she cooed at Reno and Rude.

"Do you two even need this?" she asked, holding up the pair of syringes full of painkillers.

He looked up at her now as she had broken that moment of tension and had to chuckle. "Got better painkillers, but the guards outside the door make that kinda difficult, yo."

"Nothing too strenuous until the stitches heal for you," she pointed at Rude before administering the painkiller. "And nothing to jostle that pretty head of yours for you," she said to Reno as she did the same for him. She winked, gesturing at the nurse call button by the bed. "Just press that if you need anything."

The girl walked towards the door, stopping to turn and wink mischeviously. "And no, we don't supply our patients lube," she said, leaving as Rude's face turned the colour of Reno's hair.

Reno chuckled. "Who says we need her to? Hell, I still have that bubble tube in my pocket. .. " He grinned, he always kept at least one on him at all times, remembering the meeting where after Rude had been in Wutai alone for a week the two of them just could NOT wait any longer and they ended up fucking ON THE TABLE after the meeting. "Wonder if Strife got a good show, yo?"

Rude's face, were it possible, got even redder. He didn't say anything, too focused on not remembering the table incident, lest a certain part of his anatomy get interested. He was not interested in being an exhibitionist, with the exception of that one time, and especially not in front of fellow Turks, even though they knew who he was seeing... Aw, fuck. Too late. He shifted his hips a little away from Reno, hoping his insatiable lover didn't realize what was going on.

Oh, but he most certainly did, and his grin grew yet wider. ..he started siddling up against Rude's crotch, wiggling that tight, well-built ass for all he was worth, reminding him also of all the nights he'd go dancing and that ass would wiggle so enticingly inside those tight leather pants he favored when they went out.

"Reno..." Rude tried to scold his lover, but instead of sounding authorative, his voice sounded a little husky, wanting even.

"Aw, come on, babe" his own voice was husky, the tones of his real reason for wanting this so badly hidden underneath the hushed heat. "I need you. ..Need ta know I'm not just. .." and he broke off, he couldn't say the last word, couldn't say it because to say it would remind him of that bastard and send his world spinning again.

Rude was torn. He had an image to keep, one that did not involve him screwing Reno's brains out in front of a pair of fellow Turks. However, the voice in his pants spoke very loudly and demanded some attention from the redhead.

Rude sighed, defeated, but he knew that in this instance, with defeat came victory. "Just... keep it down, okay?" he pleaded.

He nodded, drawing the covers up over them, he had learned in very short order how to strip not only himself but his partner in bed without a so much as a rustle. ..he slid first his own underwear down and then his partner's praising whatever God there was for the fact that hospital gowns made for very easy unseen sex. he lubed up his own fingers after ripping open the blister pouch with his teeth, making sure Rude could see every slow, tantalizing motion as he prepared himself. .then those slick fingers wrapped around Rude's shaft, flitting along it like butterfly wings in order to spready the lubrication there as well, before throwing his leg over Rude's in invitation. "Please. ..I need to feel clean again. .." it was a bare whisper.

Already Rude's head was spinning. Maybe it was the painkillers, or maybe it was watching Reno work both so efficiently and so erotically. He wasn't entirely sure, but he was already at the point where if they were to stop, he was going to get the worst case of blue balls in the history of man sex.

"Mmm... Reno..." Rude rumbled against the back of Reno's neck, pushing himself into the redhead every so slowly.

Reno moans softly. ..this wasn't simple sex. ..Gods no. ..this was perfection. .worship. . .every time was like laying himself down in front of an alter. .a prayer. he buried his head in his own arm so the cries that struggled so hard to come out wouldn't be heard. ..the sounds were high pitched whimpers when muffled that way. ..but his breath hitched in his throat with every motion,. both with how wonderful this felt. ..and the emotional release of one more night of feeling loved instead of feeling used.

Rude moved slowly, not just because it wouldn't draw the attention of their guards, but also because it felt just lovely. Slowly pushing into the heat of Reno, stopping for a moment to feel him clench down around him, then slowly pulling out, Rude was savoring each feeling as if they were water and he a man in the desert.

Then the hitching breaths became sobs. .not of pain though, Gods no...of somehing else entirely. .he felt so wanted, so loved. . .his nerves igniting. ..heart, mind and body one huge ball of desire and pleasure. "I love you. ..Gods. .never stop. ..you make me feel so clean. ..so loved." quiet admissions as he pushed himself further back, wanting to feel him. ..he'd have Rude crawl inside him were it possible. His hips bucked to set a faster pace, his hand wrapping around himself, even though the way he felt now he could damn likely cum from thrust alone. . .feeling the brushes against the sweet spot like a soft breeze.

Rude moaned, trying to keep the slow pace, loving each and every spark of feeling that travelled from where he was joined with Reno down to his feet, up to his spine and everywhere inbetween. He felt so priviledged to be able to do that with Reno, knowing what the redhead had done in the past.

"Can I come in you?" he growled softly

"Thought you'd never ask, yo. .. God yes. ..sanctify me, man. ..make me yours. .." His head leaning back against him. ..one could feel how tight those muscles were his body all the way down to his TOES tingling as if he was being a channel for his emr. . ."I'm yours, yo" His hands were moving faster, and a soft whimpering sound came from him that he couldn't hold back. ..he was biting his lip hard, a sheen covering his form. ..then a keening noise rose from him that vibrated through his entire body.

midnight12181: A low moan escaped Rude's lips, along with a huskily said, "Reno..." as he pulled almost all the way out of the redhead then thrust in quickly. Once. Twice. And it was done. He felt as well as saw the fireworks dancing along his nerves and behind his closed eyes. An inarticulate noise of pleasure spilled forth from him as the aftershocks came, along with Reno's clenching muscles.

The wave when it hit was so intense. ..the muscles already tight from pleasure clenched so hard his body bucked as if in the midst of a seizure, tightening and relaxing. ..then as it drew back he was left trembling with aftermath...his breathing still hitching as he lifted a trembling hand to his mouth. ..tasting his own slightly sweet yet slightly salty flavor on his fingers. ..before tilting his head back and kissing Rude fiercely. . ..then as the aftermath faded it all hit him like a ton of bricks. .. how close he'd come to losing Rude. ..how close he had come to dying himself.. .then how close he had come to being that fat bastard's pet again. "If I had stayed like you told me. ..we wouldn't have had this. .."

Okay, so Rude was wrong. Wasn't the first time, probably wouldn't be the last. He slowly pulled himself from Reno's body, shuddering slightly at how sensitive he still was.

"I know," he said quietly, rolling onto his back and reaching for the box of tissues next to the bed. From the sticky feeling, they were going to need a lot of tissues.

Reno as he sat up to clean himself off clutched his arms around himself, he looked suddenly vulnerable in that pose. ..arms clutched close to his body in that automatic protective pose. . .learned from experience during his childhood well before Turk training drilled into him that his torso and head were vital areas to be protected in dangerous situations.

Rude climbed off the bed, cleaning himself off then reaching for his three day old pants and pulling them on. He was tired of wearing a gown, anyway. He picked his sunglasses up off the table next to the bed and put them on, looking at Reno.

"You want to go outside for a cigarette?" he asked, wanting one himself and figuring Reno could use one as well. The redhead in a nicotine fit was not a pretty sight.

"Yeah. .." it took a good five minutes for him to ucurl fully. ..when he did, Rude would be able to see the slender back and slim waist. . .the scars upon it telling a lifetime of stories. ..he slowly drew his boxers on, the silly chocobo-print things Rude had bouht for a christmas gag gift. ..then the black sweats he kept in his "hospital bag" the duffle he took with him on missions because he had ended up here so many times. then a soft cotten t-shirt and his slipper sandals.

Rude nodded, realizing that his hospital gown had a little bit of his seed on it. He took the paper item off, looking around for his shirt.

"Reno?" he asked, not seeing said shirt anywhere. "Did that nurse steal my shirt?"


	4. Chapter 4

Reno snorted at that then had to laugh at the mental image of the willowy nurse with her nose buried in the linen dress shirt. ..then stilled noticing how quiet it was. ..TOO quiet

Rude raised an eyebrow when he saw Reno stop. Without moving his head, he glanced around the room, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. He turned a little towards the door, finding that he couldn't see their guards standing there anymore. Something wasn't right. He crouched down, taking small, silent steps towards the door.

That was when evverything exploded, nurses running screaming in the hallways. .then a swaggerin brown haired figure in the doorway. "Well well, if it isn't the little redhead. ..man have I missed you."

Reno bristled "Gét the fuck outta here, Skotch, no one likes you. Fucking sick ass prick"

Rude dropped to his stomach at the explosion, wincing as the lifesaving movement tugged at his stitches. He opened his eyes, not realizing that he'd closed them, and looked around for Reno.

"Reno?" he called, the dust from the debris in the air making it hard for him to see. His ears were ringing loudly from the explosion, making it hard for him to hear much of anything.

Skotch reached down, petting the cuahl at his side. "I know, you're hungry for more o' those Turks, aren't you, my pet?" The cat nosed Rude, licking the top of his head. It was true the big panther-like creature had eaten the Turks killed during the raid, it was trained as a scavenger, though it usually got the less delectable debris of dead whores.

Reno growled, a sound that started from deep in his belly and sounded like the sound of a furious bear, thanking Shiva that this time he'd not left his weapon in the open, so he had it with him. As Rude's ears began clearing he would hear Reno go it one on one with Corneo's big bodyguard.

mRude froze. Something had licked his head. Something with a large tongue... and probably large teeth. He looked up, seeing the cat's face, and his eyes widened as he noticed the face tenticles. Fuck. He was not in any condition to fight a cuahl, and neither was Reno in any condition to fight Corneo's bodyguard. Things were not looking good.  
That didn't mean he wasn't going to damn well so his best. .. he was deathly curious how they had managed to get one step ahead of a group of Turks to plan this raid, but he knew he'd probably find out when he got there, if there was one thing Corneo loved to do it was brag.. It was then the bolt spell washed over his body, throwing his nerves into chaos as he let out a loud cry of searing agony before he fell over sideways like a prize fighter, hitting the floor with a bone-rattling thud.

Rude quickly assessed his options at Reno's cry. Reno was injured, possibly unconscious. Rude was injured with a giant cat that could kill on a whim licking his head. There was nothing he could do to save them both, a thought that frustrated him infinitely. His best course of action to ensure both their lives would be to see what the enemy's next move would be.  
Skotch picked up the little redhead, carrying him out, then sneered at Rude from the doorway as he called off the cuahl. He had what he'd come here for...He would later come to realize that was mistake number one. But he decided to twist the knife, just a little. ..pressing a liquor-scented kiss to Reno's mouth, right there in front of Rude, before handing the smaller Turk off to two of his companions.  
Rude dropped his head to the ground, pain from his injuries leaving him unable to do anything but watch. He'd failed. And of all people to fail, he'd failed Reno. He silently wished Reno to hold on, to stay alive and unbroken until he got there, however long it took. As the blackness fell over his eyes, he whispered his redhead's name as if it were a plea to whatever gods wished to smile on him.  
Reno as he awakened found himself staring into that bloated face. .he was tied at wrists and ankles to a rack-like contraption. Much to his credit he didn't show the terror he felt. ..instead he smirked, and in a show of the defiance his time with Rude had given him the strength for he spit in Corneo's face.

"Oh, you don't want to do that, my boy. ..I have your partner. ..and he's your partner in much more than just work, isn't he?" He gestures over to the other rack where Skotch had hung the burlly Turk, who was still unconscious.  
Voices. Rude heard distant voices as he struggled to break through the fog hazing his brain.  
"Bastard! I swear to fucking God I am going to fucking KILL you! Not only for what ya done to me, and God KNOWS that's enough. ..but you touch him, I'm gonna cut that nasty cock of yours off and shove it down your throat! You enjoyed watching Skotch and the rest of his asshole friends raping me until I fuckin' bled, didn't you? You fucking sick ass freak"  
That voice he knew. Even though he couldn't make out the words, he would know that voice even if he were miles away.

"Reno," Rude grumbled, still not opening his eyes. "You don't have to yell"  
"Oh Thank God. ..shit, they said you were dead. ..but you're not gonna get very far, partner, we're both trapped, and i'm in the middle o' chewing the Don a new one."

Corneo flipped a switch behind him, and electric current ran through both racks, causing Reno to arch, trying to escape the fire that ran through every nerve ending...shit it hurt. ..he stayed silent as long as he possibly could, but eventually the pain was too great and he let out a loud, ringing scream that had the sound of a scalded cat.

Rude frowned at Reno's words, confused in his return to consciousness, but before he could open his eyes the current rushed through his body, causing him to shout in pain as every muscle in his body seized up. It felt like his muscles were trying to escape his body by going through his skin.  
Corneo shut it down, leaving the two to gasp and flop like fish trying to regain their breath. "I'd love to give a more eloquant response than that, my pet, but I unfortunatly have business to attend to."

Reno was gasping, it felt like his lungs had shrunk to half to their previous size...the nurse had said the stutter would likely pop up during times of stress, and boy was she right. .."R-rude. .. you okay"  
Rude's muscles refused to hold him up, leaving him to dangle by the apparatus he was strapped to. He looked towards Reno's voice, eyes bloodshot from a few broken blood vessels, unable to focus just yet. He was almost certain he'd ripped his stitches from the pain alone in his side.

"Reno..." he gasped, pulling into himself to cope with the bodily and mental pain. His next words were spoken as if he were speaking to any other Turk, short and with little emotion. "Status report"  
"Trussed up like a prize buck. . .but if I can get a wrist free I got somethin' they didn't find... my mastared Restore in my Bronze Bangle in my sweatpants pocket. ..I can give you a bit 'o' a patch job at least if I can get down from here. Unfortunatly the door's bolted with a combo lock from the outside, we won't be escaping without help"  
Reno lets out a short chuckle. He hadn't even REALIZED the bangle was in there until he felt it bang against his leg while being shocked. But it was sure a huge help...if he could get down.  
Rude nodded, the gesture alone making his eyes water, not that anyone could see it... Wait. Yes, yes they could. Where were his damn sunglasses?

"Do it," he said, keeping an ear open for any sounds outside the door.  
Reno grunts as he literally dislocates every finger in his hand...it was a trick he'd learned after escaping being tied so many times. ..his left hand slipped out of the cuff, and he quickly undid the right one before falling to the floor on his knees, He then cracks his knuckles to pop the fingers back into joint before pulling the bangle out. ..he only had the energy left to cast a second level cure, but it would at least seal up the wound and alleviate a good portion of Rude's pain. ..he idly noted the blood on the insides of his thighs, and wondered what they had done while he had been unconscious, though he rightly didn't remember.  
Rude's head slowly went back to rest on the metal behind his head. He felt the cool feeling that accompanied the healing spell, focusing on the feeling of his wound sealing itself as most of the pain left his nerves. He felt better, yes, more human, but still not well enough to break out of there unaided.

"Thanks," he said, smiling slightly at Reno.  
Reno then applied his nimble fingers to freeing his partner from the other rack. "Shit am I glad you're with me, though I'm sure as fuck sorry he dragged you into this. Maybe we can find a way to break out of this place and turn the tables on him. ..Boss has been tryin' ta get this place shut down for good for a while now"  
Rude pulled Reno to him, wrapping his arms around the smaller man and holding him to his chest. "Worst mistake they ever made," he said quietly, pressing his lips to the top of Reno's head.  
Reno suddenly started shaking now that he was alone here with his partner. ..the terror not showing until he was alone. "Shit yo. ..hate this bastard. ..much rather you notta gotten involved in this but if I were here alone, shit, I'da broken by now." Rude made a soft shushing sound into Reno's hair, hugging his partner tighter to himself. He had to find a way out of there... Rude paused, concern washing over his face.

"Does Corneo have cameras in here?" he asked carefully.  
"Hell yeah, he likes to keep a watch on his whores." Then he falls silent as the sound of the lock clicks "Someone's comin' in, yo"  
He stepped away from Reno, knowing that the redhead is still injured, having used his materia on Rude. Rude looked at his hands as he cracked his neck, preparing for a fight. His leather gloves had been removed at the hospital, which meant that if he hit anything rough, his knuckles were going to get scraped to hell. Ah well, wouldn't be the first time, just the first time in a long while.

"Step back," he said, cracking his knuckles.  
Reno stepped back, but grinned. ..handing him his spare pair from his pocket. "YOu know I always carry your extras"  
Rude returned Reno's grin, but paused when he looked at the sweat pants the redhead was wearing.

"Are those my pants?" he asked, taking the gloves and almost reverantly pulling them on.

Rude loved the feel of leather on his hands. He might not purchase the most expensive shoes, he might not even purchase the most expensive sunglasses -- considering how often they were lost or shattered -- but he did make sure he always bought the best leather gloves money could buy.

Reno blushed. ..the two of them had IDENTICLE pairs of black sweats, and it wouldn't be the first time he'd grabbed the wrong ones, then he chuckled. "Guess they are, yo" Just as the door busts open to expose three Cuahls, the beasts were shoved into the door and the door shut. They were low-level bests, fortunatly, little more than a kittens, but they'd still likely chew the pair up pretty good.  
Reno paled though. ..one of his favorite punishments was locking a recalcitrant whore into a room with a couple of cuahls then spraying the room with the spoor of a female in heat. ..with that phermone floating in the air they'd fuck anything they could get their claws into.  
Leaving the conversation on whose pants were who's to another time, Rude rushed forward, towards the three cuahls. He hoped Reno was well enough to at least dodge their attacks, since he didn't count on the redhead fighting with his injuries.

He attacked them in order, smallest to largest, the smallest one falling with only a few strong punches. As he turned to the middle-sized cuahl, he had to dodge a flailing tenticle, throwing him off balance as he crashed into the rack he was initially trussed up on.  
Reno yells out as the big one pinned him beneath his paws, feeling the fetid breath in his face, claws as he is flipped over, and a barbed member pressing against black fabric. "Get off me, you fucking stupid felline, I'm no female cuahl"  
Ignoring the sting across his bare chest as one of the middle-sized cuahl's tenticles lashed him. He ran at the large cuahl, intending to barrel into it and knock it off Reno. However, he caught sight of the claws digging into Reno's shirt and changed his plan. He lept onto the cat's back, wrapping his legs around it as his arms worked down the creature's front paws to attempt to work them free.  
Reno as he felt the claws' hold loosen bucked, hard. ..he didn't mind taking a few good jabs as long as the beast was no longer on top of him, he could see the thing's cock out of the corner of his eyes, having seen this done before he knew what those wicked-looking barbs would do if the cat managed to get that thing where he apparantly wanted it. The barbs appeared when the creature was aroused, and did not recede until it came. ..at which point it would pull out and the victim would be bleeding all over the floor and not able to move for a while. as the beast flew off, and Rude more than likely with it due to his adrenaline-charged strength, he flipped back over on his back, kicking the thing hard in sensitive places, eliciting a pained yowl from the beast.  
Rude was most definitly not expecting to land on his back with a large, HEAVY cat on him. His breath left his lungs in a loud 'woof', and he felt as well as heard the creature's shriek as Reno kicked at it.

"Reno!" Rude yelled as one of the redhead's kicks missed its mark and instead landed on his upper thigh, a little too close for comfort.  
"Sorry, yo!" The cat got off Rude, circling Reno, like most felines it got off on having its intended partner struggle. Damn right Reno was going to struggle. That thing was in for the fight of its life if it thought it was going to fuck him. With an inhuman speed that with his injuries he should not be able to acheive he leaped onto the cuahl's back, yanking at the tentacle on top of its head, riding it like a bronc. his face was drawn into a vicious snarl. He was thoroughly pissed.  
The entire time he rode the thing he was beating it about the head with his free hand, landing several good hits while the thing was bucking and trying to get him off its back.  
Deciding that Reno had the large one covered, Rude went back to fighting the middle-sized creature, only to find that he couldn't, well, find it. He looked around, only to feel a sharp double lash at his back.  
THe middle size one chose that moment to pin Rude down as the big one had Reno. ..he would be able to feel the barbs against his ass as his partner had.

Reno of course saw this, and shouted "Oh no you fuckin' don't, you son of a bitch! If anyone's gonna top him, it's only one soul, and that soul sure as Hell ain't you, so you'd best just BACK the fuck up." and steered the bigger one toward the middle sized one.  
Rude pushed against the creature at his back, looking as if he were using the large cat as extra weight for pushups. He'd heard Reno shouting, but was too focused on getting out from under the cuahl.

Reno helped him do just that, though, as the largest cat barrelled into the middle-sized one, stepping on Rude, who let out an 'oof.  
Reno jumped off the big one's back as the smaller one slashed at its face, then he sat next to Rude idly wishing he had popcorn as he watched the two battle each other for the right to mate with the two Turks. "Enjoy the show, yo"  
Rude took a deep breath as he stood up. He placed his arm around Reno's shoulders, fingers forming a fist then going lose again in an unconscious manner.

"You okay?" he asked, voice a little rough from being stepped on, kicked, generally roughhoused.  
He nodded, even though he had several fairly deep claw marks in his back, a tentacle sting across his right cheek, and several puncture wounds from the cats barbs on his ass cheeks and thighs.  
"you"  
Rude took a quick glance at Reno's backside, for reasons he would claim were making sure Reno was, in fact, unviolated. He cracked his neck again, keeping an eye on the two fighting cuahls.

"Fine," he said, then frowned, dropping to his knees to look at Reno's backside closer. "Corneo owes me new pants"  
"Fuck the pants, yo. I'm just glad the pants were ALL that fucker got his barbed cock into." he shudders remembering the last time this had happened the poor guy had bled to death out of his ass. ..it hadn't been pretty.  
Corneo meanwhile had watched the proceedings, hitting a button on the panel in front of him, vents opening in the ceiling above them, the cats where euipped with ribbons, of course, should they be knocked out it defeated the purpose.  
Rude placed a light swat on Reno's posterior for the pants comment as he stood.

"You do realize one of them is going to win," he said offhandedly.  
Reno nodded, the turned, looking up at the hissing noise. "Yo, Rude. ..you wearing your ribbon, or did they take it from you"  
Rude's only response was to drop to the floor as his legs gave out from under him. Ribbon? What ribbon? The one he took off in the hospital because 'two Turks could handle guard duty?  
Reno hit the floor in a similar manner as voice echoed over a speaker in the ceiling. You will be awake for this. ..the gas only inhibits movement, it does not knock you completely out. I shall enjoy watching it"  
Rude fought the urge to ask why they didn't take Corneo out years ago when he first reared his fat head, but figured it was not in his or Reno's best interest to piss off the fat man. Instead, he concentrated on moving something, anything. Finally, a single finger wiggled on his right hand. Things were looking up... at least, as up as they could at the moment.  
"You sick, fat ugly fuck! It's me you want, leave my partner out of this!" He grunted as the biggest cuahl trotted over, having heard the smaller one screech.  
"Ah, but where would be the fun in that, hmm"  
Rude focused all his will into moving, but still could come up with nothing more than slight, slow, easily dodged movements of his arms and legs. He could do nothing, nothing at all but watch his partner be violated by a big fucking cat. He refused to close his eyes, though. If Reno had to suffer through it, Rude would suffer with him.  
Reno let out a loud screech as the cuahl batted at him with its claws, blood flying as they slashed across his arms, then his legs as it literally SHREDDED the pants he was wearing. most of the cuahl's actions hidden from view by the positioning. When it finished it trotted over to a corner and curled up.

Reno shivered, it seemed the gas was wearing off as he drew his legs to his chest.. .but he wasn't hurt. ..he was angry. . .bleeding on the floor yes, but other than that it was more his dignity.

Rude curled upon himself, pulling his legs under his body. He found it was getting easier to move, but he wasn't exactly sure he could stand just yet.

"Reno!" he called over the redhead's shriek, wanting to make sure that Reno was at least alive.  
"M'okay, yo. ..mostly. sore. ..but I c'n move for the most part. " He tested the injured limbs, his legs would hold him, though one arm hung uselessly at the moment, tendon slashed by the beast's claws.  
Rude carefully stood, wobbling only a little before he lifted his gaze to Reno.

"Did it...?" he ground out. From the look of Reno's condition, Rude wasn't entirely sure.

Reno's face went bright red. NO, he was not going to admit to what had happened, FUCK that. .Despite the fact that the blood that dripped down his legs, sticking the shreds of the pants to them, told the story quite eloquantly. "M'okay. ..worry about getting YOU moving so we c'n fiind a way outta here."

Rude stared down at the sleeping cuahl. He wanted so much to beat the large cat, but for some reason he couldn't. It wasn't the cuahl's fault; it was just acting on instinct. No, it was Corneo's fault, and the fat man was going to pay dearly.  
Reno pushed off the wall, trying to stand fully, but his knees buckled. .he bit his lip as he attempted to wrap the profusly bleeding wound in his shoulder. "If I give ya the Restore, you got enough reserve to fix m'shoulder? It won' move fer shit"  
Rude nodded, unlocking his knees and seeing if he could still stand. He took the offered materia, giving it the mental command to activate it and focusing its restorative powers on Reno's shoulder. After a moment, he asked, "Better"  
He moved it experimentally, it still had a limited range of motion, but at least it moved. "Yeah. .fucking cat"  
Rude nodded again to Reno, then let his eyes move over the entire room, searching for something, anything that could be an exit other than the door.

"How do we get out of here?" he asked, still keeping one eye on the sleeping cat.  
He shushed Rude as the lock on the door rattles again. A daring plan coming to mind. "I say we dive whoever's on the other side, knock 'em on their ass, and run like fuck untl we find a place we can lock ourselves into and then plan to try to get our phones back so we c'n call for help"  
The cuahl it seemed agreed, it strode over to Reno's side, batting at his legs and purring. ..instinct told it to protect its mate and possible offspring, so it would defend Reno with its life.

The proposed plan reeked of Reno, but Rude had to admit that when opportunity knocked, or in that case, unlocked the door, he had to answer. With a sigh, he nodded, inching closer to the door, wondering if he was supposed to jump the guy or if Reno's new friend was planning on it. Speaking of...

"What is it doing?" he asked Reno, gesturing at the cuahl.  
"Protectin' me, I think. ..crazy ass cat" As the door opened and Skot came through, the cuahl jumped on top of him, snarling and stinging him with the tentacle on top of it's head as well as scratching the Hell out of him.

Reno, not one to look a gift cat in the mouth, dashed past the huge felne and out the door.  
The day was just getting weirder and weirder. Rude paused for just a moment to kick Skotch once in the side, payback for kissing Reno in the hospital, then moved quickly to catch up to his partner.

However the second part of the plan Rude didn't think was in their best interest.

"We need to get out of here," he said. "We're too injured to do any damage. We need to get out and come back with more Turks"  
Reno nodded in agreement, though God knows he wanted Corneo...his hands fisted twice, his eyes narrowed. ..he curses softly and heads for where the door is, hoping they don't have too many fights before they reach it, and hoping the entry way was unlocked.

Rude paused for a minute. It was rather unlike Reno to have his plan dumped and not at least throw out some comment or another on how his plan was better. In fact, Rude couldn't even remember a time Reno had agreed to dump his own plan without so much as a complaint.

Rude spoke without thinking, "You are Reno, right"  
"Yeah. ..just hurtin' too much to argue, yo. .." His whole BODY hurt, from head to foot.  
Except of course this time, because as he said, he simply was in too much pain to argue about it, blood seemed to be caking dry on almost every single bit of his anatomy, he even had some blood caked in his hair from a slash, fortunatly not too deep, from one of the cuahl's claws.

Rude grabbed Reno's wrist, striding purposefully down the hallway, hoping he'd picked the right direction to find the exit.  
They did find the exit. ..only to find it locked. ..and to find 5 members of Corneo's enforcement squad hot on their heels. "Any ideas, yo?" Then something round rolled and hit him in the foot and he smirked, things in his head turning over. . .it was a summon, though he could not be sure which. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin"?"

Rude blinked. Did either of them really have enough energy to use a summon materia? Besides, they had no idea what the summon was, if it would be useful, or where it came from, for that matter. But, Rude was fresh out of ideas that didn't involve going down in a blaze of glory, so he just nodded.

"You or me?" he grunted, pointing to the red sphere.  
"You prob'ly got more reserve than me, but I feel a wierd bond. .." Then he saw the engraved flame on the side of the materia that identified it as Ifrit and smirked. ..they had all been infused with the essence of one of the summons, one of Hojo's wierd experiemental ideas designed to make the four Elite stronger. ..while Rude's was Shiva. . .his was Ifrit. ..it had been discovered during training that if you have a materia of the summon with which you were infused, you used less of your reserve to call it, and it gave stronger attacks. So he called the giant fire beast, watching the cigarette fall out of the mouth of the goon in front, he seemed to be TALKING to the summon mentally, for the huge beast seemed to grin, his cupped hands had a huge fireball in them, and he roared at the enforcers.  
Ifrit. Rude shivered. He never did much care for that summon, even before Hojo's crazy experiments. Give him the ice bitch with the great figure any day. In fact, were Shiva real, she might actually give Reno a run for his money in the looks department. Plus, truth be told, Rude had just as much of a soft spot for the colour blue as he did for redheads.  
At any rate, Ifrit seemed to fit Reno's personality, all fire and impetuous actions. ...the enforcers scattered at the roar, and Reno seemed to be talking to Ifrit again and the summon aimed the fireball toward the door, blowing it open. ..he then held one huge hand out, gesturing for Rude to climb into his palm "Just listen to him, yo, this place is about to go up in a huge boom that would do onea your bombs proud!"

Nope. Nuh-uh. He was not. No way, no how. And he said just as much.

"I am not climbing on that thing's hand," Rude nearly spat.  
"You're gonna go up with the damn brothel, dammit! Do you trust me?"

Did Rude trust Reno? Without a doubt. But he didn't trust the fire demon not to scald him to a crisp. He didn't trust that the creature would completely listen to Reno's commands; summons got moody sometimes.

He spun on his heel, climbing through the still very hot hole in the door before turning to shout, "I'll run."

Reno growled, feeling just the SLIGHTEST bit hurt that Rude didn't trust his control over the summon completely, but he knew his aversion to the fire summon. His red hair whipped in the hot breeze after he was sure Rude was clear of the place and he straddled the beast's neck as it took to the air, closing his eyes. It would seem to Rude almost as if Reno had become ONE with the summon for a moment as hot rocks rained down from the heavens and blasted into the brothel. . ..one especially big one blocked the door so Corneo and his goons couldn't escape. ..Ifrit had evacuated all of the prostitutes after he'd chased the goons off the two Turks.

Rude didn't even bother looking behind him. He knew that if Reno said it was going up, the damn building was going up with a rather large bang. So he ran, as fast as he could away from the area.  
After the building began collapsing on itself with several VERY large rocks embedded inside it Ifrit landed, then began to dissolve into globules of raw lifestream, returning back to its home within the planet's lifeblood. Reno wavered on his feet for several long moments before seemingly falling in slow motion onto his back, hitting the ground with a rather signifigant thud. He had actually dug a bit into the portion of his energy reserves that contained his very life-spark during that summon. .no, it was beyond a summon, not quite a posession, either, more of a temporary spirit-bond. The rumbling behind him had stopped, so Rude stopped as well. He risked turning around to look, only to see Reno fall over.

"Idiot," he mumbled, jogging back towards his partner, eyes peeled and scanning the area to make sure they had made it out... and to make sure the fire demon was actually gone. Damn thing still gave him the heebie-jeebies.  
Reno's eyes flickered open, though they remained at half-mast. "Can't move, yo. .." He just BARELY was able to move his head as he felt the heat of the flames on his face. "wha' happened? Last I remember was Ifrit blowing the door. .. "  
Rude shrugged, not entirely sure what had happened himself.

"Come on," he muttered, pulling Reno's arm over his shoulder and walking as quickly as he could towards the nearest vehicle.

A vehicle which just happened to be Rufus' limousine. The youthful blond rolls down the window and peers at the two Turks. "Fucking shit up in your typical manner, I see" His voice held a bit of amusement as he operated the switch that would open the back door.  
"Ha-fucking-ha, boss. How'd you know where we were?"

Rufus did chuckle this time "There were several witnesses among the medical personnel who survived the destruction of Midgar Medical Center that had seen Corneo's lackeys carrying you two off" And here Rude was planning on practicing his hotwiring skills. Oh well, with Reno as his partner, there would definitly be another chance, probably more than one.

"Sir," Rude said, helping Reno into the back seat.  
"That was quite an impressive use of that summon. ..I've never quite seen the like of that before." Rufus mused as he rode next to his driver, Tseng next to him.  
Rude shuddered. He'd been ignoring the power cracking along Reno's skin until Rufus brought it back to his attention. He shuddered again just for good measure.  
Rufus then went on to describe what HE had seen from his post along the highway...how it seemed as if they had become one for several moments, Reno and Ifrit as one entity. . .Reno's rage toward Corneo being channeled THROUGH the summon.  
Rude did his best to keep his discomfort relatively unknown, but it really creeped him out, his redhead and the fire demon acting as a single entity. Instead, he focused on his injuries, trying to figure out exactly what on his body hurt and what didn't. As he worked, he found there were more did's than didn't's.  
"You think it wouldn't freak me out if you linked with Shiva, yo?" The question was of course rhetorical because Rude would of course never do something so foolhardy unless the Planet itself were at risk.  
Rude was feeling a bit like a petulant child. He was tired. He was sore. He just wanted a strong drink and a good night's sleep.

"At least Shiva's hot," he muttered, looking out the tinted window at the city around them.  
Reno sets a hand on the head of the cuahl who'd leaped into the seat next to him, looking at Rufus awkwardly as Dark Nation bristled at the invasion of her territory by the youthful male. "He thinks I'm his mate" He explained with no little embarrassment.  
"That," Rude pointed at the cuahl, "is not living at the condo with us. I am not sharing you with a damn cat."

Rude looked at Dark Nation, adding, "Presidential company excluded." The all black cuahl could be a little moody sometimes when she knew people were speaking ill of her.  
"I'll give him to Rufus, jeeze.. .and if Elena finds out WHY he thinks I'm his mate I'll never hear the damn end of it from her." His face was bright red, the past three days had been absolutely horrid, and there was still the mess with the rest of the Barons to think of. ..the Barons were pissed at their territory being destroyed, something they were after both Rufus and his father for.  
Rude was done. He was done. He wanted to go home, go to bed, and pretend the day happened without him. He was getting cranky, what with not eating much during the day, the nicotine craving, the caffiene headache... oh, and all that other shit that happened to them.

"Can the debrief wait until tomorrow afternoon, sir?" he asked, voice telling of just how grumpy he was getting.  
"Of course, I will take the two of you to your condo. ..and here. .." Rufus handed over a bottle of his finest bourbon as well as bottle of high quality single malt. The bourbon being Reno's poison of choice and the scotch Rude's.  
"Thank you, sir," with that Rude leaned his head back on the seat, closing his eyes and going in and out of a light slumber until they arrived at the condo.  
Reno had fallen over into Rude's lap, when they arrived Tseng and Rufus actually carried the two upstairs, both of them seemed to be out pretty hard..as they were laid out into the bed next to each other Reno settled his head into Rude's chest with soft sigh.  
Rude did not wake up until almost noon the next day. He stretched, joints popping as he moaned quietly about his not-a-dream-after-all injuries. Something was tickling his bare chest, and when he went to scratch at it, his fingers met the top of a red mop a little harder than expected.

"Sorry," he said, voice gravelly like it always was when he first woke up.  
Reno winced when he awakened, feeling a purr and a warm mass at his feet. "He musta followed us up. ..little stink.speaking of stink, I absolutely STENCH of dried blood. ..Gods, I need a shower"  
Rude had started to sit up, but when he saw that thrice damned cat, he flopped backwards, head bouncing off the pillow.

"Too tired to shower," Rude said, yawning around the word 'tired.  
Reno of course had his emotions ALL too close to the surface due to the past few days and gave Rude a petulant and somewhat offended look as he grabbed his own sweats and a t-shirt and a towel.  
"Save me some hot water," he mumbled, rolling onto his side and laying in Reno's warm spot. Not that Rude's spot wasn't warm; it's just that Reno's spot was nicer.  
"Water'd be hotter if you were under it with me, you know" he said, trying to keep the tiny bit of weary hurt feelings out of his tone.  
Rude grunted an inarticulate response. Appearantly, Reno was in a mood. Rude rolled his eyes and pushed the cuahl off the foot of the bed before climbing out himself.

"Not on the bed," he told the large cat, then padded naked towards the kitchen.

He opened the sliding glass door that lead to a balcony, telling the cat that if it needed to use the litterbox, the balcony would work for now.

"Coffee," he droned, gravelly voice taking on a zombielike timbre. He put the ground coffee into the coffee pot, setting the timer for an hour, hoping that Reno wouldn't suddenly decide to become a five-minute showerer. With coffee being worked on, he padded back towards the bathroom, scratching a couple times as he did.  
Reno stood with his head under the spray. ..his eyes held a distant look. Yes, the redhaired Trickster of the Turks did melt down on occasion. .. .He bottled up his emotions, just like Rude did, though whereas Rude used his cool, calm demanor to hide his true emotions, Reno used both his flashes of rage and his easy humor, .but when one bottles up their true feelings eventually they must come out, and when they do, it is usually quite messy. Rude silently padded into the bathroom, stopping at the mirror to stare at his reflection. He looked like hell... no, shit... no, hell and shit. He looked like he needed coffee... and that shower Reno had offered.

"Hope your cat likes tuna," he said as he opened the shower doors and stepped inside.  
Reno just nodded. ..simply trying to process the past three days in some fashion that he could stay sane afterward, and failing miserably.  
Rude stepped forward, arms going around Reno as the extremely hot water fell on them both. With a slight frown, he turned the cold water up until it was still warm, but a less scalding temperature. Without another word, he reached down to grab Reno's shampoo, drizzling it into his hands before starting to wash Reno's hair for him.  
"Shit yo. ..I can't. .. can't piece all of this shit together...just don't know how. ..f-fuck." The stutter on that last word in the sentence told clearly of the turmoil his head was in. "Now we just need your past coming back for y-you to cap this fuckin' week off"  
Rude froze at the mention of his past, but continued washing Reno's hair, tilting his head back for a chaste kiss and to wash out the shampoo. He didn't say anything, letting Reno talk through his internal maelstrom.  
He starts punching the shower wall. "Glad he's dead yo. ...g-glad. ." but somehow it sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that. .. as if he himself were not sure of the truth of what he'd said.  
Rude lightly grabbed Reno's fist. He did not want to repair another hole in another wall. Last time's tequila shooter marathon had left quite a few of them, enough for Rude to re-drywall half a wall in the living room.

"He won't touch you again," Rude mumbled, shampooing Reno's hair a second time, fingering the soft red strands as he did.  
"That's the thing. ..I say I'm glad,but some wierd part of me tries to t-tell me I d-deserved i! I was whore, yo, a fucking whore and as much as I love you, and Gods know I do, I can't help my fucking consciense telling me that Corneo's abuse was the best I deserved!" The tone was tortured, filled with his own inner self-loathing.  
"Shhh..." Rude pressed his lips to Reno's soapy forehead in a gesture of comfort. He tilted the redhead's chin up, forcing his head back carefully so he could wash out the rest of the shampoo.

"You were a whore," he mumbled, damn that morning voice, "You're not anymore. You're a Turk." And a damn fine one, Rude added mentally, not thinking that maybe Reno needed to hear it.  
He nodded. ..the inner demons wakened ever once in a while as it was, but the past few days had whipped them up into a fine frenzy. "I destroy everything I touch, yo. ..almost got you killed. ..almost got MYSELF killed MORE than once. ..shit. "  
Rude shushed him again, holding up the bottle of conditioner in as a question of whether Reno wanted him to use it or not.  
Reno nodded again. ..the tremors finally came. . .it used to be he'd be cutting by now, but his time with his lover had taught him to let go when things got bad. .that it wasn't shameful to cry when the pain got bad enough. ..so instead he simply turned around, resting his head on Rude's chest and letting them come. The few times he'd done this it was always silent tremors. ..tears falling without sound.As loud as he was the rest of the time. ..he was silent when he was in pain.  
Rude carefully conditioned Reno's hair, tilting his head back to wash out the conditioner when it was time, placing a soft kiss to each of Reno's closed eyes.

"Just let it go," he said softly, pulling Reno into a tight embrace. "Let it out. It's okay." 


	5. Chapter 5

Reno fervently wished for time to just turn back. ..to unfeel the confusion in his mind, to unknow just how sick the fatass had been. .. Kitty was the only somewhat decent thing to come out of the experience, and he told Rude as much. "I know you don't like him, yo, but he saved both of our asses." he sniffed a few times, trying to clear his nostrils.  
Rude sighed, blinking as a couple stray water drops hit his face near his eyes. After a long pause, he spoke.

"I am not cleaning the litter box"  
He giggled, the sound a bit hysterical. "I'll walk him, yo.. .Rufus was trying not to laugh." He was trying to regain his euilibruam, something which took a bit after one of his meltdowns. He was also usually a bit physically shy afterward, reluctant to stir the demons again by moving too quickly.  
"We'll need food," Rude said, making a mental checklist of the items they'd need for their -- no, Reno's -- new pet.

He reached around Reno, turning off the shower. They were both as clean as they were going to get.

"Coffee should be done," he muttered, wanting to get to the java-flavoured nectar of the gods.  
He nodded, drying off, the remnants of the upheaval beginning to fade. .the puncture wounds across the pale flesh had faded a bit, though here under the brighter lights a few of the newer scars were obvious...including a long mark that looked like a lash mark, but went deep, as if the hand that had wielded the whip had been specifically LOOKING to mark.  
Rude dried off quickly, not looking at any of Reno's new or old scars. They both had remnants of their pasts imprinted on their bodies; Rude considered it polite not to stir up old demons that didn't need stirring.

He walked out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, through the living room, and right into the kitchen, naked as the day he was born. While he wasn't into public nudity, nudity in the comfort of your own home with your lover wasn't an issue. Oh, and he guessed he could add said lover's damn cat.

"What're you going to call it?" he asked, taking down a couple coffee mugs from the cup tree on the counter.  
"Thought I might just leave it at Kitty." He chuckled, the cuahl instead of Dark Nation's sheer black was a snowy white with inky black stripes, he was really a very pretty cat. He gave Kitty a rub behind the tentacle, something he knew Dark Nation particularly liked, and it appeared Kitty did just as well, as the big cat purred loudly.  
"You can't name it Kitty," Rude protested lightly as he poured coffee into the two mugs. "That's like naming a dog 'Dog' or a bird 'Bird'."

He set Reno's mug on the island countertop. Turning to his own, Rude took out the sugar bowl from the cupboard above the coffee machine and reached into the fridge for the hazelnut creamer. While Rude may look like a man who likes his coffee black, he was, in truth, only after the wakening effects of the terrible tasting brew.

Reno added his typical heap of sugar and enough creamer to make it taste good. . ."Sometimes simple is good. ..besides, if we named him realistically we'd have to call him somethin' like Livewire" It was the truth, the cat was actually a lot like Reno, a bit impetuous, rather hyperactive.

"Fine."

Rude took the first drink of his coffee, then tilted his head back, eyes closed, face resembling his in the throes of orgasmic bliss. Mmm, yes. Coffee.

Reno laughed, he always laughed at that face...but he remembered the time they'd been on stakeout for five days with NO coffee. ..it had been the worst fight the two of them had ever had, not an experience he wished to repeat, though he had to admit the makeup sex had been absolutely mindblowing.  
Eyes still closed, Rude took another sip before finally looking at his laughing redhead. He blushed slightly, just like he always did when Reno made fun of him.

"Your cat want some?" he asked, looking around for the animal.

He saw it by the sliding glass door to the balcony, chasing the moving sunlight on the floor as the curtains billowed in a slight breeze.

"On second thought, the cat gets decaf," he muttered, taking another sip from his mug.  
"Good idea"He said, a bit sloshed over the top of the cup, which Livewire immediatly dove after "Great. ..he likes coffee. .. Gods help us." As soon as he'd licked it up, his tentacle immediatly stood straight on end, and his bright amber eyes twitched at the corners and he started chasing dustmotes.  
Rude sighed and just shook his head. One hyperactive redhead was more than enough, but add on a hyperactive striped cuahl? Rude polished off his coffee, pouring himself another cup, feeling slightly more human.

"He needs a walk," Rude muttered as he prepared his second cup. "I'm not walking him"  
Reno actually smiled, the cuahl dancing around his feet, nudging at him, somehow the cuahl knew he wasn't completely up to snuf yet, and he nudged him with a soft mew, an almost motherly sound. "Heh, he's a hen, too" Rude would know he meant mother hen, but in reality it was one of Rude's qualities that he knew had saved his ass multiple times. Rude always knew when to keep him from overextending himself.  
"Great. Competition," Rude muttered, polishing off his second cup of coffee. Give him a cigarette and a pair of pants and he was ready to face the day.  
Reno got himself dressed, then whistled to Livewire, leading him out into the front of the complex so he could do his business.  
A growl and then a loud screech sounded from out front, then Reno's angry tones as he literally beat the HELL out of whoever had been there.  
Rude decided to make good on that cigarette and those pants, but not in that order. One too many times growing up he'd gotten the cigarette first, only to have an ash fall on a rather sensitive place and cause a rather unpleasant mild burn.

Rude pulled on Reno's pair of black sweat pants, the ankles making them look a little like floods. He figured, Reno wore his, so he could wear Reno's. He took his cigarette out on the balcony, looking down at the busy city streets. The balcony faced the complete opposite direction of the entryway, and he heard nothing but the peaceful sounds of the morning in Midgar. He liked it that way some mornings.  
Reno comes back up the stairs, grumbling about stupid kids. "Kid threw a rock at Livewire. ..well, more like teenager, he was probably about 16...touch my cat I'll beat your ass"  
"Who's the mother hen now?" Rude asked from the balcony. As much as he loved his job, he was not looking forward to the debriefing meeting with Tseng and Rufus that afternoon.  
"Same kid who threw paint on my bike, so I got a lil' grudge against him. ..he hates Turks"  
Rude looked over at the cuahl, watched it wash its paw for a moment, then took another drag from his nearly gone cigarette.

"The cat can take care of itself, Reno." He flicked the butt off the balcony, stepping back into the room. "And a lot of people around here hate Turks. Thought you were used to it"  
"Thought I was...guess I'm startin' to look around at the rest of the world an' wonder what's gonna become of the rest of us when the boss takes over. ..Things are gonna change. .He's not like the old man, yo. Not saying he's some great man or anythin' like that, but he's not so ruthless either. Our lives and the nature of our jobs is gonna change and we may need to be able to get along with the public." Contrary to popular belief, Reno did have his moments where he thought about the future.

"worry about that when it comes," Rude said, padding over to the large couch in the middle of the living room and sitting down. He looked back at Reno, then patted the couch next to him.

He was rather surprised when Reno's cuahl jumped up on the couch and laid down next to him, head plopping on his lap as the cat started to purr to elicit some pettins. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Damn cat.  
Reno sat next to him, motioning the cat to move aside. "'swierd, yo.. usually you're the one thinkin' about the future and I'm the one livin' in the moment. ..guess. ..this with past few days got me thinkin'. ..about how if I died tomorrow. ..would I die with regrets. I wanna be able to say no, but I know if I did I'd be lyin"  
That made Rude think for a minute. Did he have any regrets? A couple, but nothing too major to worry about. He frowned. Just what did Reno regret that was giving him such a hard time. He reached out with both hands, one going to the top of the cuahl's head to scratch behind its ears and the other going to the top of Reno's head, ruffling the hair there thoughtfully.  
"I mainly regret the plate, yo. ..Lotta innocent people died so the old man could have his damn scapegoat...You remember I protested my orders at first? I never did tell you why I went through with it, did I?"

Rude shook his head. He didn't ask Reno about it, and Reno didn't tell. At the time, Rude thought it was better that way, safer for the rocky time they were having in their relationship at that time. They were having quite a few issues, issues that caused Rude to move out for a few months prior to the plate drop.

"You, partner. ..the old man found out about us. .told me. ..if I didn't do it. .." he broke off for a minute, the reason for all of that rocky time had been because he'd been trying to protect his partner. when he continued it was just above a whisper. "The old man was gonna have you executed and force ME to do it if I didn't set off the charges."

He stood, pacing. "Because I was selfish all those fucking people died. ..'salso why I look forward to Rufus finally offing the abusive bastard, even though things are gonna change"  
Rude had made the mistake once of making it well known his opinion of Jack ShinRa. In fact, Rude had referred to him as 'Jack Shit' on more than one occassion. He knew the President wasn't too terribly font of him, but to attempt to have him executed...? Rude decided a regime change was needed a little sooner than Tseng thought.  
"You know I almost killed him myself that day, yo. ..unfortunatly he had a few Turks still loyal, only Gods know how. ..You know how when we went out I had that big bruise of my eye, where I told you I ran into the door? Well, I lied." He shakes his head. He was fiercely loyal to Shinra as an entity and as his workplace, they had taken him off the streets, given him a means to eat and put clothes on his back, as well as the love he currently had in his life. That loyalty however did NOT extend to the one who ran it. J. Shinra was just a tad on the insane side. ..the his phone rang and he picked it up. "Yo, Reno here. You say what? that silver haired bastard was IN THE BUILDING? give me a casualty list, yo"  
Rude raised an eyebrow. He did not need another drama. He wanted just one drama-less day, just one. His mental stability required it.  
"No worries, yo, Tseng's got it under control. ..but looks like we got our wish. ..old man got pinned to his desk by the crazy bastard. He and Elena are gonna chase his ass down. . .Only thing the boss wants from us is guard duty dearing his induction ceremony day after tomorrow." Reno is actually grinning ear to ear about the old bastard being dead.  
Rude nodded and grunted once, still scratching the cuahl's head.

"What about the debriefing meeting?" he asked, hoping he would be able to just stay home all day and relax.  
"Boss is comin' HERE to do it, says he wants outta the building anyway. ..oh, and he says attire is to be as casual as you feel comfortable with"  
Reno gave one of his famously cheeky grins. "Now if it were as causual as I felt comfortable with we'd be nude an' fuckin' on the sofa while bein' debriefed"  
Which didn't mean Rude wasn't going to be dressed in his suit. Someone like the soon-to-be President wasn't greeted in a pair of too short sweatpants and a bare chest. Nor was he greeted with Reno's idea of 'comfortable.'

"When?" he asked, wondering if he would have time to press his suit.  
"in 'bout an hour, I need ta get my pants n' shirt on...oh, and I gotta lock Livewire in the room he says last thing he wants is him knockin' up Darkie while we're in the middle of this insanity"  
Just enough time to press his suit. He stood, shaking his head and muttering about how the damn cat couldn't keep its pants on... not that it wore pants, but still. And why did the soon-to-be President need to bring his cat? Just want Rude wanted, to clean up after two shedding cats.  
"I know what yer thinkin', and you know he's had that damn feline since he was 7 and she was 6 weeks old. ..She goes EVERYWHERE with him."

Rude grumbled an incoherent sound as he walked into the bedroom. Reno knew him too well. Far too well.

"Need to do laundry today," he called as he pulled his suit, the iron, and the ironing board from the closet.  
"Had plans to send the cleaning out yesterday. .but. . .things went a little nuts." Reno always sent their suits to be cleaned on wednsday evenings because it was half-price day at the cleaners.  
Rude was extremely happy to have three different suits. The one he'd pulled from the closet was the only clean one left, however, it needed to be pressed badly.

"I'll take it today," he said, setting aside the jacket and placing the pants on the ironing board. The pants were easy, so he always started with those.  
Reno didn't bother, just slid his last clean suit on, "Hey, you seen the rest of my hair elastics, yo? The box is gone from the medicine cabinet"  
Rude shook his head. With having no hair, what use did he have for hair elastics?

"Check your wrist," he offered, knowing that sometimes when Reno took them off he would put them around his wrist.  
"Didn't take the last one off, yo, it snapped. . .ah, here's one! I'll hafta get a new box next time we go shopping. He found a black one in the back, grabbing his loose hair he pulled it back, his hand making two quick winding motions to slide the elastic in place. He then got out his hair gel and started spiking the front. ..once he had that done he began to feel a little more human.  
Rude placed his freshly ironed pants on a hanger, not intending to put them on until Rufus actually arrived, lest they get messed up. He promptly went about pressing his shirt, carefully making sure there were no odd wrinkle lines in it.  
He walked up behind Rude, putting his arms over his shoulders. .. actually feeling a bit less like a kid and a bit more like the almost 23 year old Turk he was.  
Rude smiled at Reno's touch. He then held up his shirt for inspection. Not a wrinkle. Excellent. He turned off the iron before putting the shirt on a hanger by the pants. All he had to do was put on a pair of boxers and a wifebeater, then wait for Rufus to show up.

"Feeling better?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.  
"Yeah, I do. .. hearing that bastard was dead helped immensely yo." Again that grin showed. It was no secret he had hated the old man as much as Rude.  
"Good," Rude stated, turning to place a little kiss on Reno's lips.  
Just then a knock sounded at the door. "He's early yo, I'll get the door and get some coffee so you can finish getting suited up"  
Rude nodded, padding quickly to the dresser and pulling out a pair of boxers and a white wifebeater. As he put them on, he mused on just why said item of clothing was called a wifebeater, especially when worn by someone who a) didn't have a wife, b) wasn't going to have a wife, and c) only beat people who deserved it. He pulled on his pants, then put on and buttoned his shirt. Rude carefully tucked in his shirt before putting on his tie, and he could hear Rufus' voice in the living room say something that sounded like, "I said casual, Rude"  
Reno chuckles, he'd already handed Rufus his coffee, while Dark Nation had somehow managed to open the bedroom door and was playing tag with Livewire. "Not my fault sir, yo. ..your cat's just smart"  
"Damn cats," Rude muttered, straightening his tie and sliding into his suit jacket. There. Now he felt more human himself. He put on his sunglasses, going through the bedroom door and trying to avoid the scrambling cuahls.

"Sir," he said in acknowledgement to Rufus.  
Rufus nodded his head, those deep, glowing blue eyes pinning both of his most loyal men. mentally reminding himself that the employee fraternization policies were going to be the first thing to go. He personally didn't WANT to have to hide his relationship with Tseng anymore, and he didn't want Reno and Rude to have to hide, either. "sit.. .let's get started"  
Rude nodded, sitting down on the couch and watching Rufus sit almost elegantly in a large armchair.

"Where would you like us to start, sir?" he asked, trying to get all his thoughts in chronological order to relay them to the soon-to-be President.  
"From the beginning is usualy a good place" Rufus' demeanor was warm and relaxed with these two, always was,  
Rude nodded, figuring the incident as the hospital was the best place to start, especially since Rufus already knew everything prior.

"The two guards stationed outside our hospital suite were compromised, believed to be dead. They attacked with at least one, probably more explosive devices, geared both towards distraction and destruction." Rude paused, looking over at Reno before continuing. "One of Corneo's bodyguards, Skotch, lead a pair of men into our room where they proceeded to kidnap both Reno and myself. I was unconscious due to strain on my injurie at the time. I'm an uncertain as to Reno's state"  
Reno nods. "semi-conscious due to being hit by a 3rd level bolt spell, sir.I also discovered from one of the survivors. . .one of our two guards was a plant" It was a detail he had failed to mention to Rude simply because until now it had slipped his mind. Rude took it all in stride, continuing his explaination.

"When I awoke, I was strapped to a rack with an electric current running through it. After discussion with Reno, I found that we were captives of Corneo. We decided it was in our best interest to escape as opposed to continue the mission I had originally set up for a later date"  
Reno also took it in stride, his head had been a mess the past few days, it was possible Rude HAD mentioned taking Corneo out on their to do list and he had simply forgotten He did NOT look forward to the revelation of how he had acquired Livewire, but it had to be done. . .so he did it as quickly and as delicately as he could, trying to spare himself as much embarrassment as possible,  
Rude explained their escape down the hallway, up until he came to the mention of the summon materia. He shivered one, remembering.

"Which was when Reno summoned the fire demon," he ended, knowing that Reno would pick up where he left off, partially because the less Rude thought of Ifrit the better, but mostly because Rude was too busy running away rather than riding the damn fire demon's back.  
"I ended up mind-linked with the damn thing, at least 'swhat I think happened, at which time he cast Hellfire and destroyed the target"  
Rude nodded, choosing not to add his initial intent to break into, then hotwire what turned out to be Rufus' car. That was a skill he would rather very few people know about. Much like his ability to sew. Nobody needed to know about that, either.  
Michael TW Kelley: Though Reno did, due to the rare occasion on which he tore one of shirts. Rude had patched MORE than one for him.  
Rufus just nodded, then snapped his fingers for Dark Nation to return to his side.

"I see," he said, standing.

Rude stood as well, straightening his suit as he did.

"You two have the rest of the week off," the soon-to-be President said. "With the exception of your body guard duty tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Rude said.  
Reno leaned against the wall, the bruises on his face both from the beating he had taken that first day and from the previous day's abuse had begun purpling finally. ..though when he peered in the mirror again he could see that one eye would likely be useless by the morning and went to get an ice pack from the freezer. "All in a days work, yo" he mutters.

"Excellent," Rufus said as Rude walked him to the door. "Nine a.m. sharp tomorrow, gentlemen," he added before he and Dark Nation left.

Rude closed and locked the door, turning to face the living room and the cuahl on the couch. He stretched, joints popping with overuse.

"Bed?" he called to Reno, walking towards the bedroom to get into more comfortable clothes.

Reno fairly stumbled back into the bed. .. Gods was he tired, and he was just realizing how tired. his right eye even with the ice had swollen most of the shut and he looked like complete and utter hammered shit.  
Rude was not fairing much better. His entire body hurt; he wasn't even sure he could take a full inventory of his injuries without writing them down. He was both exhausted and sore. After carefully removing his suit, he climbed into bed in just his boxers and wifebeater.  
Reno scooted back into Rude's warmth. .. the tears gone, though he flinched with every touch. ..he was that badly bruised all over the slender body. ..the lash Corneo had graced him with as a mark of ownership stung like fuck, and the scratches Livewire had dealt him had popped back open and begun to ooze slowly.  
Rude didn't say anything, but he climbed back out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. Neither of them had enough energy to use materia, so he pulled a couple of potions from their cabinet next to the stove. He walked back into the bedroom, and a yawn broke through his exhaustion.

"Roll over," he said, gesturing with the potions.  
He did so, hissing as the bruises on the front made themselves apparant as well. "Shit, yo. ..didn't know I was gona hurt this bad:  
Rude straddled Reno's hips, pouring the first potion onto the redhead's back like massage oil. He gently moved his hands around, paying careful attention to the cuts, scratches and puncture wounds.  
"We both look like pounded shit, yo. .." another hiss as Rude's legs found the bruises on his hips that he had discovered were in the shape of fingers...Again a sign someone had taken some advantage of him while he was out that he did not remember.  
Rude watched as the potion soaked itself in, closing some of the smaller wounds and shrinking some of the larger ones. He carefully worked his hands over the handful of knotted muscles he found there as well before moving down to Reno's legs.  
Reno knew he'd find the finger marks, and likely ask questions he didn't have answers to, but he was prepared for that. ..his ass was sore as Hell too, but he attributed that to the ill usage he'd gotten from the feline who was now his pet.  
Rude didn't have to ask questions, so he just lovingly ran his fingers over the bruises as he slid the liquid over them, watching them disapper. Besides, anyone who could have done such a thing was most likely dead, thanks to that, Rude shuddered, fire demon.

He finished Reno's back, most of the surface wounds gone while the deeper ones were smaller. He climbed off, asking Reno to, "Flip"  
He flipped onto his back, and the hiss didn't come legs, chest, and even his face were all a deep purple, his right eye finally completely swollen shut, his lips torn and swollen even though they no longer had dried blood on them.  
Opening the second potion, Rude poured a little bit onto his hands, deciding to start at Reno's feet and work his way to the more serious injuries. The slight cinnamon scent of the potion tickled his nose as he worked the liquid into Reno's skin.  
Reno sighed as the knots began to loosen...his right cheek ached like a bastard, he suspected the cheekbone was cracked, but he couldn't confirm that. ..as the lesser injuries healed the more serious aches began to make themselves known. .."Thanks, yo. ..never thought a week would rival how bad I was hurtin' after the plate, but this sure as hell did"  
Rude grunted in ackowledgement, bypassing Reno's favourite body part in favour of placing more of the potion on the bruises that covered the redhead's chest and abdoment.  
He almost MOANED as the healing fluid hit his chest and the rib that had been scraping against his left lung and reducing his lung capacity popped back into place and healed. .for the first time in 4 days he could take a deep breath without pain.  
Rude smiled slightly, moving higher to cover Reno's arms in the healing fluid. He then took the small remainder of the potion and, using his fingertips, gently massaged the liquid into Reno's face.  
The bruises on his face began healing, going from a deep purple to a greenish yellow color, even if they did not heal completely. . .the swelling along the cheekbone lessened some as the cheekbone began to knit together in a way that said it had indeed been fractured. again, a light moan at the relief from the pain, even if the swelling hadn't died down enough to free his vision in that eye yet, it sure as Hell hurt a lot less. He stretched langorously, like the cuahl. ..it just felt good to NOT be in pain.  
Rude smiled, noting just how much Reno acted like his damn cat.

"Better? We have more potions..." he offered.  
"Nah, yo. ..we might need 'em tomorrow. ..I ain't gonna say I got a bad feelin' 'cause last time I did we had the shittiest four days of our lives." Some of the fluid from his back dripped into the crack of his ass when he shifted a bit and he moaned again. ..the tearing inside healed and the extra. . .well the extra left the area tingling. ..

"Shit. ..I forgot the effect the healing items have on uninjured flesh. . ." He flipped back over on his belly, his ass was moving around in the air in an extremely telltale manner.

A concerned frown formed on Rude's face. Did he miss someplace? He paid careful attention to Reno's movements, only to discover that said movements didn't look painful at all. In fact they looked rather... pleasant.

A chuckled rose from deep within Rude's chest. "Problems?" he asked.

"Just. ..fuck, I'm tinglin' like a bitch. .." when he shifted again some of dripped down to his crotch. .. he gasped, tilting his head back as the fluid brought him to instant hardness. "Ngn. ." the sound in his throat was completely inarticulate. ..the potion having sunk into the flesh of his shaft had left it hard as a stone cliff face.  
Rude chuckled again, an almost dark sound to anyone who didn't know him. He took a single finger and traced the line where Reno's buttocks met his thighs, watching his redhead squirm even more with the intimate, yet not, touch.

"Is there something you'd like?" he asked.  
He arched off the bed pratically at the touch. ..between the previous day's link with Ifrit that would have had him tingling if he hadn't been in pain amd the affects of the potion on the flesh that was now healed he was so sensitive he could almost go off wihtout any erogenous zones even being touched. "Fuck, stop teasin' yo"  
"Why?" Rude asked, smiling predatorily at the back of Reno's head. "Maybe I like to tease you..." His finger moved higher, tracing the redhead's spine slowly from tailbone to neck and back.  
He arched even higher, breath leaving him in a hitching gasp. ..his teeth sinking into his bottom lip and his eyes squeezing shut as he did his best to get contact to more intimate areas.  
Rude chuckled again. He really did like to tease Reno. The redhead made the most interesting noises and came up with the most interesting phrases when nearly delerious with desire. All of which went straight to Rude's groin. His finger travelled across Reno's back and up his sides, short nail scratching ever so lightly as he did so.  
"Fuck, son of a bitch, yo. ..m'on fire. .." and a deep growl echoed from his lips as he bucked up and down against the bed, which rubbed the fluid even more into him, causing a tingle which was almost painful. .. before he grinned. ..winking at Rude he fliipped over and grabbed one of the potions, popping the top and taking a small sip into his mouth he slid Rude's boxers off...with a minxish smile he took Rude into his mouth which was full of the healing fluid, letting the potion-laden saliva drip down the mocha-colored appendage.

It was a most delightful feeling having Reno's mouth around him, and with the added potion, it was most divine. Rude's head tipped back, a loud groan issuing from his mouth as he slowly laid back on his back, head hanging off the side of the bed. With the potion soaking in and causing all kinds of tingles with each breath of Reno's that stirred the hairs on his groin... He really had to stop thinking or else he was going to get off before anything even started.  
Reno hummed around him. ..that hum actually soft moans as his whole body lit up like a christmas tree, The cinnamon tinge of the potion with the earthy tang of Rude's flesh...it was almost enough to make him cum by itself. ..He then guides Rude into the bed in such a way as he was in it straight, it wouldn't do to have a repeat of the one incident where Rude had been hanging halfway off the bed and when Reno had straddled him he'd fallen off. sticking his fingers in his mouth moistening them with the potion he slowly works first one into the tight entry. ..then two. ..biting his lip again to hold back the shriek of pleasure that threatened. ..once he was sure he was prepared he put the STRAIGHT potion from the bottle onto the large shaft and then lowered himself slowly onto it.  
It was like the heavens parting and coming down on Rude, having Reno like that with the potion and all. In fact, his hands went instantly to Reno's hips, stilling the redhead's movement as his cock twitched uncontrollably inside him. He tried to fight off the tide of orgasm with the best thoughts he could. Jack ShinRa naked on a cold day. Ifrit masturbating to kiddie porn. Why hot dogs came in packages of 10 and hot dog buns came in packages of 8.  
Reno chuckled and wiggled just the tiniest bit, the throbbing inside him felt. ..Gods, it felt heavenly, the tingling spreading in a wave all over. .."Even if ya go, that shit'll put ya right back up, yo. .. 'swhy they put it in impotency meds, not that we'd ever have a problem with that, eh"  
With a cry to every deity he could remember at the moment, Rude came, hard. Damn Reno and his ability to move just so. Damn his weakness for redheads, that one in particular. Damn...

Rude paused when he heard a noise at the bedroom doorway. No one was supposed to be there, and with the week they'd been having, his entire body tensed, regardless of his recent orgasm. However, he relaxed slightly when he saw what was there.

"Reno," he growled, voice rough from his cry. "Your cat is watching us"  
Reno turned and laughed as Livewire looked at them with a soft whimpering mew. "Uh, no. ..sorry, boy, you are NOT joining in." He gets up JUST long enough to shut the bedroom door and the comes back into bed, he climbed back aboard and drove straight in, as he had predicted the potion had Rude back up in five seconds flat.  
Rude was horribly embarassed... of a cat, of all things. However, Reno's attentions made him forget all about said cuahl and moan as if he were a piano and Reno a master pianist. The way the redhead could play him startled him sometimes.

"I'da told him to go jack off but his paws sorta make that a problem." He laughs heartily at that then groans as the lift and drop slammed Rude like a frieght train right up against the sweet spot, the tingle that ran through him causing his arms to tremble as his head tilted back. .. another delicious hum coming from his mouth.  
"You don't get to help him, either," Rude mentioned before another moan slid from his lips. He felt Reno's muscles tighten around him as his tip hit that spot deep inside Reno's body. He could already feel the humming along his nerves indicating that another orgasm was already well on its way.  
He didn't even bother touching his already throbbing cock. ..he didn't have to, and it felt so incredibly wonderful, the deep sensation of an orgasm by thrust alone.. .. he picked up his pace as his eyelids grew heavy, drifting to half-mast. . .soft whimpering mewls coming from him as his nerves began buzzing. . .he could feel it coming closer with each lift and drop, muscles growing tighter, he shifted the angle a bit so the head literally DRAGGED against his prostate, then those mewls become a loud, unrestrained scream as his body tensed, going completly still as he paints his belly with white. . .his body them goes limp as the blood rushed back into it and he nearly passed out.  
As Rude felt Reno constrict around him, his eyes nearly roll into the back of his head. He releases inside his lover, but makes an 'oof' sound when said lover falls limply onto him.

"Reno?" he croaked, voice wanting to break at the harsh treatment it'd been given over the past few days. "You alive"  
Oh, he was alive allright. ..in fact more so than he had been in an entire week. ..a langorous smile was plastered across his face, his breathing soft and even, even if his heart rate was a bit elevated not only due to the force of the release, but also due to the aftershocks which still rained over his nerves.  
"Take that as a yes," Rude muttered before trying gently to get Reno off him. Rude had his little quirks, one of which involved not getting semen on the bed... mostly because he hated changing the sheets more than most any other chore.  
He rolled off with the slight pressure without even waking up, his head dropping onto Rude's chest, he curled into him even in his sleep, that smile never fading.  
Rude was careful not to wake Reno as he took off his wifebeater -- still wondering why they called it that... and who the hell was 'they' anyway? Rude tended towards weird contemplations after spending quality time with Reno. He used the shirt to wipe up as much of Reno's release as he could, trying to get a few of the potion spots from the bedsheet as well. Dammit. He was going to have to change the sheets afterall.  
Reno whimpered just the tiniest bit as Rude's warmth was taken from him, then rolled over onto his belly with a soft sigh. . .he had this tendency when he wasn't in pain or troubled to spread out over as much of the bed as was unoccupied. ..his left hand had fingers winding among red strands, milk-pale flesh gleaming in the dim lighting, he looked so damn beautiful, like an angel lit up that way.  
Tossing the dirty wifebeater towards the laundry hamper, one of Rude's hands went behind his head as the other gently fingered Reno's hair. It had been quite a week thus far, and while he should have been absolutely exhausted, he found that he couldn't sleep. Instead, he chose to watch Reno sleep, something which was simultaneously infinately mentally stimulating and infinately boring.  
A moan rises up from the still form and he suddenly curls in on himself. ..nightmare. ..something that happened with enough frequency that Rude would know the signs. The first several of them had left Reno sitting bolt upright awakened by the scream that ripped from his throat. most of the time they were about his childhood...but this one. . .this one was something he thought he'd never relive again. ..in his dream he watched his partner being shoved to his knees... him pressing the cold steel agains the back of the bald skull. ..the explosion of sound and the splatter of blood and brain matter on his hands and skin. ..The vivid image that haunted his dreams for months after the plate drop, though he'd never told Rude what they were.  
As Rude was contemplating the merits and weaknesses of nut-covered cheeseballs, he heard a sound. It sounded like a whimper. Rude frowned, hoping it wasn't that damn cat whining about wanting to sleep with them.

He paused, cheeseballs forgotten, finding that it was Reno who was making the whimpering sounds. He gently worked an arm under the redhead, other arm going around him to hold him in a light embrace. As much as Reno didn't need the nightmare, Rude was sure he'd had more than his fair share, Reno just as much needed his sleep. If Rude could comfort him through the nightmare without waking his lover up, the day was going more swimmingly than originally planned.  
Reno let out a sudden, almost heart-breaking screech, his back arching up and his body flopping itself away from Rude, but he never awakens all the way. .. after the dream ran its course he curled back into Rude, body shivering, a few more soft, hitching whimpers coming from his lips before he settled into the deeper, dreamless stages of slumber.  
Rude shushed the redhead, holding him as tight as he dared. When Reno woke up, he would have to ask him about that particular nightmare. He waits a few more minutes before carefully extracting himself from his partner's embrace. His stomach was demanding something a little more substantial than coffee, and Rude was certain Reno's cat would be hungry as well.  
Livewire whimpered again, this time pawing at the refirdgerator door where his keen nose picked up the scent of Reno's leftover squid and dragon noodles from the previous evening. "I hear you, I hear you..." he said to the cat, opening the fridge and taking out said leftovers and holding them up in a sort of question. "You want 'em warmed up?"

He paused for a minute, realizing that he was talking to a damn cuahl. He shook his head, still waiting for an answer as he mumbled, "And you're taking the blame if he wanted these still"  
Not that it mattered if Rude fed the cat the leftovers, Reno never remembered they were in there unless Rude reminded him, as the state of the fridge when Rude had first moved in would attest. At first Rude had accused him of "Conducting illegal biological experiementaion"  
Figuring that the cuahl was a little more than just the standard housecat, Rude put the styrofoam container into the microwave, heating the noodles up slightly before dumping them into a bowl and setting it on the floor for the cat.

"Let's see what else is in here..." he mumbled, opening the fridge up again to look for something for himself.  
He did so only to have his nose assaulted by the foul odor of week old sushi. . . though he couldn't really lay the blame on Reno this time, as they had been away for most of that week.  
"Ew," Rude said, taking said sushi and couple unidentifiable, unlabeled styrofoam containers and dumping them in the trash. He turned to the cuahl still eating Reno's leftovers. "Don't get in the trash. You don't want that either." He went back to the fridge, finding the appliance a little barer than usual.  
Reno strode out into the kitchen now, stretching slowly, clearing all the evidence that he had even had a nightmare as well as he could from his face, doing his damndest to look completely like his normal sleep-ruffled morning self.  
"Order in?" Rude asked, taking two bottles of beer from the fridge before closing it. He handed one bottle to Reno, then opened the other one, taking a long drink before asking, "Did we wake you"  
"Just woke up an' couldn't get back ta sleep. ..an' yeah, pizza. ..we'll do the shopping after our duty shift tomorrow"  
He took two swigs off the beer, trying to ease the tremor in his hand before Rude saw it. "How'd you sleep"  
"Didn't," he replied, grabbing the cordless phone from the charger on the wall. "Usual?" he asked.  
"Yeah, everythin' but the anchovies"  
Rude took another drink from his bottle, then hit the speed dial for the pizza place down the street.

"Hello? Delivery... yeah, that's us... the usual... yes, half everything but anchovies, half just ham... On the tab... Thanks."

Rude hung up the phone, nodding to Reno. "It'll be here in 20 minutes"  
"You didn't sleep. .that means you saw. .." he trails off, not quite sure how to broach the subject.  
Rude nodded, stooping over to pick up the empty cat's bowl and putting it into the sink. Finished off his beer, setting the bottle in the sink as well, then turned to Reno. "You wanna talk about it"  
He shuddered the tiniest it, then nodded. "You might wanna sit down first"  
If Reno wanted him to sit down, it was definitly something that would require a beer as accompaniment. He grabbed another beer for himself, and another for Reno before sitting on one of the four bar stools that rested around the kitchen island.

"Shoot," he said, indicating with his bottle that Reno should start.

Reno gave an all over shudder. "I wish you hadn't put it in quite that way. . .well, they started after the plate.. .you remember when I'd wake up screaming for the first 6 months afterward"  
Rude nodded, raising an eyebrow in question as to why his word choice was so poor.  
"Well. ..they would start out with me holding you...then you'd suddenly be gone. ..n' I'd be led out into the president's office and you'd be standing there. . .they'd shove you to your knees. ..and I'd be holdin' my service pistol to the back of your head. .." He started shivering as he got deeper in. "Then the gun would go off. ..an' I'd feel your brain tissue spattering my hands. ..my chest. .. Hell even my face. ..then I'd wake up screamin"  
It took Rude until the end of his beer to fully process what Reno had said. How did one exactly react to his partner having dreams of being forced to kill him? So Rude just sat silent, waiting for Reno to either elaborate, continue, or whatever.  
"'scausea o' what he held over my head . .had onesa me fallin' with the plate, too. ..was afraida heights for months after, they still bug me.. ..but if I'd hada ta do that. ..it woulda destroyed me. ..I'm so glad that bastard's finally dead. .." He was shaking...losing Rude was one of his greatest fears.  
Rude nodded, standing to take Reno into his arms. "He's dead," he said, as if that simple statement alone should make Reno feel all better. 


	6. Chapter 6

Reno leaned against his chest. He hated nightmares, hated not feeling as strong as he felt that as a Turk he should, sometimes even hated being so damn dependant on his lover, but being alone had thoroughly sucked. He never wanted to feel like he had when he'd been on the streets again.  
Rude tried to comfort the redhead, making small 'shushing' noises into his hair. He would wait to speak; he would be the strong, silent pillar that Reno needed during his breakdowns.  
"Shit yo..maybe shit'll get better now. Gotta deal with the silver-haired fucker on toppa Avalanche now, but hey, we're Turks, we c'n handle it, right?" He actually let out a soft laugh, again bouncing back, regaining his equilibriam as he did so well now. "Sides, the chance to coppa feel on Miss Boobs is somethin' too good ta pass up." Rude knew he flirted and teased, which had once bothered the big man, but he knew where the lithe firehaired Turk's heart and loyalty really lay, so it didn't bug him so much now.  
Rude rolled his eyes. Reno always chose to hit on and make comments about people Rude at one time had even the slightest thing for. He was regretting ever telling his partner about his fascination with the breasts of Miss Tifa Lockheart. He didn't even know what the big deal was, other than he couldn't help but stare at the woman's chest. And Reno had never let him live it down.  
"An that Ninja has a nice ass too, but she's a little too crazy for me." He suddenly grows serious again. "Tseng's leavin' for the temple in the morning to try to get that materia. You know what that means. .. boss is gonna be moody as fuck.  
"That ninja doesn't have an ass," Rude corrected, then paused. Reno was right. Rufus was going to be in a ripe foul mood with Tseng gone, and even though he wouldn't mean it, he and Reno were probably going to receive the brunt of his frustrations.  
"So we best get some sleep an' saddle up good, yo"

"Sleep means sleep, Reno," Rude mentioned, noting that the last few times they had tried to get to sleep, they were either attacked, had gotten distracted by each other's wandering hands, or both. "If you want to go to bed for any other reason, say it now." A small grin touched his lips, showing that even if Reno claimed he wanted sleep yet wanted something else, Rude wouldn't hold it against him.  
"Allright, this time I do mean it big guy." and he'd notice how tired he looked, he was wavering on his feet, as if the past several night's sleep hadn't been too restful, which they hadn't. "An' get me my bottle of Hypnocel from the medicine cabinet, I need ta sleep with no dreams tonight or I'm gonna be shit in the morning." He knew Rude would probably say something about how over use of the dream suppressent was Hell on the system, he usually did, but tonight he DESPERATLY needed a good, restful, restorative night of sleep. As Rude followed Reno into the bedroom, he just shook his head. He'd seen a guy who didn't stop using the R.E.M. stage suppressent absolutely lose it when he was a child. Scared the shit out of him at the time. He walked into the bathroom anyway, taking the half empty bottle out of the medicine cabinet. He had half a mind to just flush the pills and tell Reno they were out, but he just couldn't.

He walked back into the bedroom and tossed the bottle to Reno. "Those're bad for you"  
"I know, yo. ..don't use 'em as often as you think, that bottle's been in there for three years. ..just use 'em usually after an especially nasty night o' nightmares when I need ta be at my best." He slapped back the gel-like tab and followed it with a swallow oof water.  
Rude gave an almost dismissive grunt to Reno's excuse. Because, to Rude, that's all it was, an excuse. He loved Reno, and didn't want anything to happen to him, but where Reno had seemingly embraced his past and all the habits he'd picked up, Rude suppressed his, wanting to distance himself as much as possible from his days as a delinquent. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Reno's over the counter and illicit drug intake.  
Reno with that walked into the room, falling into bed, tapping the spot next to him.  
Rude carefully set his sunglasses on the nightstand, then climbed into bed next to Reno. He pulled the blankets up to his chin, rolling to face the redhead for a nice good-night kiss.  
Reno gave it gladly, though he was already half-asleep. .those pills had a sedative effect as well.  
Rude wrapped his arms around his sleepy redhead with a barely surpressed yawn, then slowly followed Reno into dreamland.  
The morning was ushered in with the sound of a jangling alarm clock, one which Reno as usual threw one of his combat boots at. When he picked it up he cursed. "shit yo, 's8:30 we're late"  
Rude was instantly awake. The only thing more powerful than coffee in the morning was the words 'we're late.' He climbed out of bed quickly, making his way to the bathroom for a quick and shortened version of his morning routine Reno for one was glad he'd showered the previous night, he got into one of the suits they'd gotten back from the dry cleaning shop's delivery boy last night.

Rude's stride had a purpose as he walked to the closet, taking out one of the freshly pressed suits. He loved the smell of dry cleaning. He dressed quickly, grabbing his sunglasses from the nightstand as the finishing touch.  
"I think I better drive this time, yo, at least if we wreck we got an excuse for being late and he'll only chew us out insteada shootin' at us

Rude paused. Reno? Drive? He liked his stomach contents on the inside, thank you.

"Are you okay to drive?" he asked.  
Ah yes. . .the only other time they had done anything in public. .Rufus had caught them and held that wicked looked shotgun in their direction. ..of course they HAD soiled his desk, so Reno couldn't say he really blamed him. "Yeah "m'fine for that, yo"  
With another sigh and a longing look towards the fridge where the antacids were kept, he relented. Rude tossed the car keys to Reno and followed him towards the door, pausing before opening it.

"What about your cat?" he asked, seeing the creature napping on the sofa.  
"I got the older lady upstairs comin' down ta feed 'im, and left the balcony door open, if he makes too mucha mess I'll take carea it when we get home"  
With that he headed outside, only to have his cell ring on the way out, he answers it the way he usually does, and then his face grew even paler than usual "Gotcha boss. Yeah, I'm bettin' Laney is pretty upset, Yeah, Just clue me in on the details when we get into the office"  
Rude raised an eyebrow in question. Usually he was the one to get the 'somebody fucked up' or 'something is SERIOUSLY going down badly' or the general 'snafu' calls.

"You forgot to turn your phone on, so he called mine instead.Tseng's hurt. .BAD yo. You're gonna be on guard duty alone for a few hours, I gotta go make the extraction with the chopper." It was well known that Reno was the more skilled pilot between the two of them, and the terrain around the temple was rough even for the best.  
Rude sighed. Great. Tseng was injured, Reno was going to pick him up, and Rude was going to be left all alone to defend himself against a cranky Rufus. In one of those moods, the blonde didn't need a bodyguard for himself, he needed a bodyguard for all the people around him. The day was so not looking up at all. Not in the least.  
Reno got to the building in surprisingly good time with no incidents, he looked to Rude. ..for a moment he'd put himself in Rufus's shoes and it caused a shiver to run down the slender frame.  
Rude completely and totally mistook Reno's shiver.

"I think he won't shoot at me this time," he offered, referring to the one time Rufus had gotten so upset about Tseng being late in returning after a particularly nasty mission which had resulted in the wutain nearly dying that he started shooting at everything that moved, Rude included.  
"I just. .I started thinking about what it would be like. ..if it were me in in the boss's shoes..." It was a sobering thought.

"Oh." Rude really didn't have anything to add, other than a quick kiss to Reno's lips after looking around to make sure no one saw them.  
Rufus surprisingly was not in the foul mood they'd imagined. ..instead, he seemed. .. almost subdued, Dark Nation winding herself around his heels, mewing in a sympathetic manner.  
"Sir," Rude said in acknowledgement, standing at parade rest with his hands held loosely in front of him.  
Rufus nodded to him. "He's strong, at least that is what he always tells me." It was as close to breaking down as Rufus ever came, this quiet and thoughtful mood. "I've known him. .since I was 6 years old. He is ten years my senior and still. .. I care not for anyone else's approval, you know this, you and I have known each other nearly as long as Tseng and I have. I want to go myself instead of endangering your man, I know you love him as I do Tseng, but I cannot go. I am needed here during this time which is likely to soon become a crisis. Sephiroth has posession of the Black Materia"  
"What?" Rude's eyes widened. Sephiroth had the Black Materia? But... the Black Materia was just a fairy tale. It was a story your grandmother told you when you got in trouble... something about how the evil deeds of children would bring the Black Materia and Meteor... It wasn't true. It couldn't be true...

But if Rufus said it, Rude knew it HAD to be true.  
"I sent Tseng to get it, to bring it back here so it would be safe from the madman. ..so WE would be safe. . .So very many people will die if he isn't stopped"  
"It exists..." Rude muttered to himself, looking down as he tried to process the information.

He paused, a single thought coming to mind. The other part of the fairy tale.

"Holy"  
"We know not where it is, though the legends say it was passed along the female line from one Cetra priestess to her eldest daughter, through the generations. It was said to have been lost with the decimation at Knowles point."

That was it, then. The fairy tales told that only Holy could counter the Black Materia's Meteor. There was nothing more they could do other than try to stop Sephiroth from summoning Meteor, and if he did.  
"It was the reason I still kept up the search for the last Cetra even though Father is now dead. I had hoped that perhaps with Tseng's bond with her. . .she might be willing to tell us where it lay or perhaps even assist us. Unfortunatly, Hojo's madness has poisoned her and the remainder of her friends against us"  
"I have a meeting at the crater, Hojo says he found Sephiroth's original body perhaps, with luck we can prevent access of the clone which carries the materia to the body. In which case perhaps we can save ourselves Rude nodded. "When do we leave?" he asked, wondering why Rufus hadn't mentioned the meeting earlier.  
"Forgive me, my mind is in so many places at once. We will leave after Reno returns with the chopper, he has taken Tseng into Mideel to be treated by the healers there"  
"Is he coming with us?" Rude asked, wondering if he needed to take extra weapons or not. To be a good Turk, Rude believed you had to have as much information on a situation as possible to make your decisions off of. Missions with Rufus were no exception.  
"Yes, He is the one flying. .. Hojo is also coming, something which I personally would rather not have, but he is the one who knows the location.

Great. Hojo. Ever since that mad scientist had tried experimenting on the higher level Turks, Rude couldn't stand being near him at all. However, with four people in the helicopter, it was going to be a tight fit.  
And only Rufus knew the FULL extent to which Reno had been a guinea pig. Fortunatly what Hojo had tried in that case hadn't taken, if it had succeeded, Rude would have been in for even a larger surprise than that damn cat, one he likely would not have been prepared for, not to speak of Reno's reaction. He had to let loose a low chuckle at the thought "In the meantime, sir?" Rude asked, hoping he would be given a nice, mindless task like getting coffee, rather than the briefing with Hojo that he was suspecting was in store for him. Did he mention he always thought Hojo was hitting on him? The way the guy liked to touch people... it just creeped Rude out.  
"Unfortunatly, we need to meet the idiot at the helipad in ten minutes"  
Rude briefly wondered which idiot Rufus was referring to, Reno or Hojo?

"Yes, sir," he said, standing up straighter, preparing himself for the inevitable verbal nuclear war that always happened between Reno and Hojo and somehow, he always seemed to get dragged into the middle of it.  
It was just as Rude predicted. "Uh uh, no way, fuck you, you can fuckin' WALK to the crater!" He then starts grumbling about stupid mad scientists who thought equality between the sexes meant gender bending.

Rufus laughed, ok so maybe Reno DID know Hojo had attempted. ..this trip could be fun.  
Rude paused at Rufus' laugh, wondering just what was so damn funny about the impending headache and helicopter ride of doom. They had already started at each other's throats and they weren't even in the same room yet.

"Reno." Rude hoped that his one word warning was enough to both stave off his being dragged into the middle of whatever they were talking about and to let them know that he was to be left out of it if it did continue.

"Rudolph..." Hojo's voice was high-pitched in delight. He was the only one, other than Rude's grandmother, to call him by his full name. "Always a pleasure to be in the presence of such a wonderful speciman of a man"  
Reno snarled "Stay the HELL back, or I'll take that shit you tried to put in me an' shove up your ass and YOU can be the one having ass-babies! You fucking sick freak! You're sicker than Corneo"  
Ass babies? Rude didn't even continue that train of thought for fear that his brain would start leaking out his ears.

"Professor Hojo," Rude said in acknowledgement. Even though he couldn't stand the creep, his mama taught him manners that were still deeply ingrained.

"Yes, Rudolph, yes," Hojo said, ignoring Reno completely in favour of circling Rude. "Isn't it about time for your semi-annual physical"  
Rufus stepped in now. "Yes, and he will be seen by my own personal physician if you have any desire to keep your funding.'

"VICE President..." Hojo paused, as if there were voices only he heard talking to him. "I mean, President ShinRa, your father made it a point to keep the funding for my reseach available even after his untimely demise. Yes." He spun to look again at Rude. "And I was just offering our dear Rudolph the option of a choice for his semi-annual physical, nothing more."

Nothing more indeed, Rude thought, adjusting his tie that suddenly seemed too tight and too uncomfortable. He wasn't entirely sure he was going to survive the helicopter ride.  
"I am in control here now, and many of his rules have been overturned, your funding to be included if you do not keep your hands to yourself, do you think you have not done enough damage? It is after all YOUR son who is wreaking havoc here"  
"Yes, my son. My son. My beautiful son," Hojo seemed greatly distracted by thoughts of his favourite experiment.

Rude took that moment to take a few steps away from the freak, hoping said freak wouldn't notice his movements.  
Reno climbed into the pilot seat of the helicopter, simply handing Rude the schematics of the full artifical reproductive tract Hojo had had in mind with a soft grunt. "Now you see why I hate the bastard"  
Rude took one glance at the paper, another glance at Reno, then promptly wadded it up into a ball and tossed it under the seat. Of all the things he didn't want to think about...

"After you, PRESIDENT ShinRa," Hojo said with a bow, indicating that Rufus would enter the helicopter first and sit behind Reno while Hojo took the seat behind Rude.  
"uh no, I will sit next to you you will sit behind the pilot"  
Hojo pouted but did as he was told. It wouldn't do at all for his funding to be cut.

Rude breathed a visable sigh of relief. He nodded at Reno, indicating that they could take off whenever the redhead was ready.  
Reno launched the chopper, 45 minutes later they arrived.

It was the single worst 45 minutes of Rude's adult life. The entire time both Rufus and Reno had to slap Hojo's hands before they could grasp on to Rude's arm. The guy was, officially, a freak.  
When they reached the site Reno shuddered, full on freaked out by the half-body in the materia crystal. then he looked uP to see CLOUD floating toward the encased body. "Yo, Strife, you kinda light on your feet."

Rude just watched. The ride with Hojo had unnerved him more than usual, and with Cloud Strife floating around, his nerves weren't getting any better.  
M Reno could only watch as Cloud floated over the crystal, the black orb in his hands, he thrust his hands THROUGH the crystal and the cavern started shaking. "Shit, Not good, NOT GOOD"  
So this is how the world ends, Rude thought. He could only watch in disbelief.

"Sephiroth! My son!" Hojo squealed with glee.  
Reno stood in shocked disbelief before moving in to lean against his partner. ..he could care less about the rules and policies right now. .the world was ending. .and their lives along with it.  
Rude was resisting every urge to just shove the damn crazy scientist over the edge of the cliff. However, Hojo seemed to know more than he let on, so he was still useful. For the time being.  
Rufus directed the two Turks back to the chopper. The freak could find his OWN ride.  
Rude couldn't have agreed more. He quickly got back into the helicopter, watching Hojo do a strange little dance of possibly joy.

"Shit world's endin' yo. .everything, all the shit we fought to overcome, 'sgonna be gone! What the HELL was the point in it all when THIS is the result?" Reno was good and damned pissed off.

As the people in the crater got smaller and smaller the further away the helicopter got, Rude's outlook focused more and more on what he would regret about his brief 28 years on the planet. Well, his past as a drug runner, for one, his extremely brief stint as a car thief for another. He reached over, placing a hand on Reno's knee.

Reno on the other hand. .he wasn't ready to come to grips with dying. ..Not just dying. . .but everyone else dying, too. "Shit. ..we never even got to take that holiday at Gold Saucer. ..it was gonna be my anniversary presnt for ya. ..guess we won't be seeing it now, will we?" He resis the urge to punch the chopper's dash, but it's a damn hard fight.

Anniversary. He wasn't going to have any more of those, either. Damn. In fact, he wasn't going to see much of anything in his 10 year plan come to fruitition. Fuck. He squeezed his hand a little tighter on Reno's knee before turning to face Rufus.

"You know how this works," he stated. "How long before"  
"A week, two perhaps. I have one or two things that I can try, and you know I will do everything in my power to stop it on my own, if it becomes clear that the white materia is not to be found. From the last I heard from Elena, they were in Gongaga, soon to be going from there into Ajit. Perhaps. ..perhaps one of their number does posess it"  
Rude nodded once, at a complete loss for words as he contemplated how to fit all those things he wanted to finish into a week.  
Reno just flew, no more outbursts, his eyes damp, but Damned if he'd let them fall. ..the enormity of the situation was simply too huge for tears...he sat straight up, heart totally numb, eyes bleak, empty, devoid of their former fire.  
When they landed, both men were dismissed, sent home for the remainder of the day. Their vacation that was supposed to last the rest of the week and the next was shot. They were Turks; when trouble came up, they worked, regardless of their plans.

"Let's go home," Rude said softly after committing their 8am work starting time to memory.  
Reno nodded, simply handing over the keys...he knew he was in no shape to drive. ...inside, deep inside, he hurt. ..but on the outside nothing showed, his face gone cold and hard as steel.  
He held in his hand a single gift from Rufus. ..an actual LEGAL marriage license and two white gold bands. .. Again, it was supposed to be for their anniversary. ..it would never happen now. ..none of the surprises he had planned would.

Rude knew that look. He'd seen it in the mirror every morning for the first four years of being a Turk. He quickly adjusted the mirrors and seat in the car before slowly pulling out onto the street. After a block of silence, he spoke.

"Talk to me"  
"I had. ..so many things planned for our anniversarry so. ..so many. .." He slides the marriage license with Rufus' signature on it into his lap. .Rude would remember the time he had asked Reno that if he were a woman or if it were legal. .. would he do it. ..would he commit to Rude for life? Well, there was his answer right there. "Never get to now. It was gonna be beautiful, yo."

What was...? No. No way. A marriage license? Reno managed to finangle a marriage license?

"How did you...?" he asked.

"Rufus did it all up for me, yo. ..The night his dad died, he legalized it all for us...was gonna pick it up this morning anyway. . .now 'suseless as the paper it's written on. ..all our fuckin' dreams.. .just dust."

As much as Rude wanted to say, 'No! There has to be something we can do!'... he couldn't. He couldn't blatently lie to his partner, especially about something as important as the world ending. Besides, he wasn't the one prone to random outbursts; that was Reno's department.

"Rufus will think of something," was the best he could come up with for comfort.

"Yeah. ..guess he will..or maybe that Cetra chick does have it,. ..can only hope, right"  
Then Rufus' phone rangin his office and he spoke a word or two. it was the phone inside the AI of Cait Sith reporting in. "The Cetra is dead. ..but she did have the materia. .she had it. ..she was at the alter when she was killed, praying for it. ..perhaps...perhaps there is hope."

Rude parked the car, walking slowly towards the elevator that would take them to their condo. He briefly thought of the cuahl, wondering how it fared without Reno all day. He wondered about a lot of things, actually.

Reno answered their phone, giving Rude the news that Cait Sith had given Rufus, his face softened, just the slightest bit. . .though he would look up at the angry red fire in the sky and then shrink inside again. ..until they opened the door to their home and Livewire dove Reno, all soft whimpers and purrs and nudges.

Rude just walked directly to the bedroom, intending to change into something more casual for the rest of the evening. However, he stopped short at the sight he found.

"CAT!" he boomed, quickly picking up the offending object and stalking towards Reno and the cuahl. He held up a hanger, his freshly cleaned suit hanging off it, covered completely in cat hair. "This was just cleaned yesterday"  
"He loves you too, yo.. .maybe we oughta get garment bags for the suits, that'll cat proof 'em." He said it as if it were completely normal, as if the world weren't possibly going to be destroyed soon. ..even with the news. ..well, he didn't go for a lot of the mumbo jumbo, give him something he can touch.

"Obviously," Rude muttered darkly, tossing the suit onto the couch. There was no way he could get all that cat hair off it without sending it back to the cleaner. "And maybe, instead of cat proofing, the damn cat could just stay off the bed?" He was quickly dropping into a mood, and as much as he knew the cat was just doing what cats do, the stress of the entire week was finally breaking down his cool exterior, letting a little of the tightly controlled anger free.  
Reno's own facade cracked a little, a tinge of hurt showing in his eyes. .."I'm takin' him out for a walk, I'll be back in a bit"  
"Keep your phone on," Rude said, pressing a light kiss to Reno's cheek on his way into the kitchen. He took down two rocks glasses from the cupboard, pausing a moment before taking down a third and muttering, "Damn cat"  
Reno nodded, then strode out the door, his shutting it a bit harder than he had to also a sign of the fact that with his raw nerves Rude's show of anger had hurt. He walked through midgar, the cat on the lead he'd gotten from Rufus that the president had used while still training Dark Nation, looking up at the sky which was that angry ruby red. ...then he saw the flash from the direction of Rocket Town that sailed over the horizon. ..was it that old rickety rocket?  
Rude muttered to himself, trying to keep his anger to a minimum, but he could feel the near rage boiling just below the surface. He pulled the two bottles from Rufus out of the fridge, looking at them thoughtfully before cracking the seals on them and pouring himself a double... and another for Reno when he returned.  
Reno called Rude's phone, his jaw hung open as he watched the rocket sail toward the huge rock. "Look out the window, yo."

Rude frowned. Reno called him to tell him to look out the window? What in Shiva's name...? He took a sip of his drink, stepping out onto the balcony and looking at the street below.

"What am I looking at?" he asked.

"Look up, yo, tell me if I'm seein' what I think I am or if my mind is fuckin' with me"  
Rude looked into the sky. The large red object in it demanded his attention, so he figured that had something do to with whatever Reno was going on about. A movement caught his eyes, so he squinted to try to see it better.

"I'll be damned," he said dryly, taking another drink. After a pause for contemplation and another sip, he added, "Amazed they got that piece of shit off the ground"  
"Not sure what the boss is doin' with it, but it's headed right for the fucker"  
Rude grunted in response, finishing his drink. He contemplated going back into the kitchen for another, but he didn't want to miss the show if the rocket took out the legendary Meteor. Decisions, decisions.  
A yelp sounded over the phone as the rocket hit. ..Then a cheer as the meteor seemed to break apart in the flash.. .but then. ..a soft, almost sad curse as the huge piece of space debris under the influence of the spell put itself back together.  
Rude turned and walked back into the kitchen. He could have missed that show. "No good piece of shit anyway..." he mumbled, forgetting he was still on the phone.  
"I'm inclined to agree...shit, yo. ..I thought. .. for just a minute I thought. ..oh, and tomorrow we go to Wutai...Boss wants us to bring Tseng back the folk from Mideel sent 'im home at his request so he could see ta what little family he's got left, but he wants Tseng to be there. ..in case, ya know. ."and he can't say it...in case the world dies.

Rude nodded, then remembered it was a mobile, not a video phone. "I see," he said, even though he couldn't really relate. There was no point in seeing his family. His mother and father lived in a small house he'd bought for them on the plate, but there was no point in upsetting the elderly couple. His elder brother... who knew where he was. His younger? Rude had no desire to see the little shit that had tried getting out of jail by using the middle child's name.

Rude paused, then asked, "Do you need to make arrangements to see anyone?"

"Mom isn't dead..he brought her home ta die but when child servces took me they put her in this home in Kalm. ..she's all the family I got left, but she wouldn't even know me anyway..I.. .I only got you."

Rude grunted in response. He took a small sip from his glass, liquor warming his stomach already. He hadn't eaten at all...

"See you when you two get home," he said.  
"Yeah, yo." He walked back toward the building, when he opened the door, he fed Livewire the tuna steak in the fridge that was about to turn anyway, and got him down a bowl, running some clear water into it. Once he had the cuahl taken care of he walked to where Rude was, tentatively putting his arms around him from behind and leaning his head on the bigger man's back, his way of apologizing for whatever he had done wrong every time they'd fight or things would get too tense. ..that facade suddenly cracked, and a shaky breath could be heard against his back, no tears, eyes still dry, but the shaky breath of one whose hurt was simply too deep for them, one that had no outlet.  
Rude took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling.

"There's a drink on the counter," he said softly, adding, "And a glass for the cat if he wants one."

"Don' wanna move, yo. ..wanna stay right here." his voice shook, the timber that of the hurt creature he had been when they'd taken him off the streets creeping into it. He was scared, hell he was TERRIFIED, but doing his best to keep up hope, to not fall apart.

"Thought you might want one," he said. His muscles were tense as if he were going to snap into destructive motion at any given instant. He hadn't felt that helpless since he was a teenager. He was angry, not at anyone in particular, but at the situation. He'd worked so hard to become more than just a street punk, more than the blue collar worker his father had been, more than anyone else thought he could become. He had become the epitome of power, both in body and in position. He was at the top of the most powerful department of the most powerful company of the world. And he still couldn't stop a stupid rock from destroying it all.  
Reno moved off, feeling the tense anger inside that body, of course misinterpreting it as being at him, so he walked into the kitchen with his back achingly tight...took two sips off the shot, then with a heart rending cry threw it against the far wall before simply standing in the middle of the kitchen tight and thrumming like a bow's string just after an arrow has been launched from it.  
Rude entered the kitchen, Reno's cry and the sound of broken glass quickening his steps. He surveyed the scene, still just as tense. That anger at himself for being so helpless sought an exit, appropriate or otherwise, and it found one.

"What the fuck was that?" he asked, voice deep and rumbling like a thundercloud ready to burst.

Reno eyed the shards of glass with longing eyes. "That was me getting sick of everyone getting pissed off at me for shit I can't fix, yo! Everyone seems to think I should be perfect, yo. ..this perfect 'paragon for the kid who lifted his ass off the street and made good for himself' I'm not perfect yo.! Right now, I got most of the answers, but I'm just as fuckin' terrified as everyone else, hell, MORE because I KNOW there's no damn hope"  
He picked up one, drawing it with furious force across his arm just above his wrist, those eyes defiant. ..he knew. ..the promise he had made so long ago lay at his feet in pieces like the shards of glass there...but he was too damn angry and hurt to care. "See, I ain't fucking perfect!" His voice shook. ..hard... "Not. ..p-perfect"  
Rude carefully set his glass down, stepping gingerly around the glass shards and stalking towards the redhead. "Do you think I enjoy the prospect of our deaths?" he asked, voice and eyes dark and stormy. "Do you think I get a kick out of watching you tear yourself apart for no reason other than you think everyone thinks you're perfect?" He took another step forward, forcing Reno back to the wall without touching him at all. With each additional word he got louder until his voice boomed throughout the condo. "Do you think I get off on how absolutely helpless I've become to keep the one person I want to happy?" Both of Rude's arms shot out, palms flat on the wall, trapping Reno's head between them, still without touching him. "Do you!"

Reno's eyes suddenly showed fear. ..not of their situation. ..but of the powerful man who had him pinned. ..it was one of the very few things he couldn't stand. .being pinned, unable to move, to fight back, to run ..and to have Rude do that to him, KNOWING it was one of the few triggers left in his life. ..he lost it, totally and completely lost it, thrashing against him with the glass shard he still held. ..he was not a bit truly cognizant of what he was doing. ..he kept up the wild struggle until he had exhausted himself. .. when he was too tired to fight looking up at him with those terror filled eyes. ..terror OF him.  
The small chink had appeared in the dam, and Reno's unrestrained reaction caused the floodgates to open, releasing all of Rude's pent up rage. He spun away from the redhead, fist connecting with the top of the island countertop with the sickening sound of a few fingerbones breaking. He had made a promise to himself never to lay a hand on Reno in anger, and even with his inner demon released, he held himself to that. With a shout of rage, he turned to stalk towards the door, putting his fist through the drywall as he made it to his shoes. He was no longer just angry at the situation, but he was angry with himself for cornering Reno like that, which in turn fed the anger more.  
Reno then felt fur against his legs. ..Livewire, standing between him and the angry bald man. ..protecting him, though the cuahl wasn't exactly sure what was going on, he only knew that the one he was instinctivly to protect was terrified. ..and his lover furious beyond measure. ..

At that moment the redhead broke and ran, the door slamming hard behind him. . .he had never, EVER seen Rude that angry, not ever. He sat in the street now as the little tornados began touching down, voices from bullhorns from atop Shinra company trucks telling people to evacuate...something had sped the thing's fall, but it wasn't what he saw...what he saw was the rage in his lover's eyes as he was pinned against a wall.  
A few more holes made a matched set in the walls of the condo as Rude's anger continued to manifest. He continued to yell, stalking around the living room and kitchen like a caged beast. He was completely not expecting the large cat that connected with him, taking him and pinning him to the ground.

The cuahl growled at him, and Rude growled back, but still the animal held him there, doing nothing more than keeping Rude still as the rage quieted enough for him to push it back beneath the surface.

"Get off," he growled lowly, staring the cat in the eyes.

The cat made a small hissing sound, then moved to the other side of the room, watching Rude like a hawk.

He stood, brushed himself off, and put his shoes on. If what he was hearing coming through the windows was true, they didn't have much time left.  
Livewire gave one last soft growl, but as he sensed that Rude no longer held any ill will toward the little redhead he backed off, then fell into step beside the big man.  
Rude decided the stairs were his best bet. And as much as he didn't want to, he jogged down them, trying to think of some way to explain exactly what had happened in his mind to Reno without getting into too much detail.  
Livewire ran beside him. ..whimpering at how much the wind had picked up...even he was having trouble keeping his feet. ..and he had FOUR of them...his head lifted now and he mewed sharply, running to wear the scent of the one he thought of as his mate rested. Rude once he caught up with the cat would see Reno leaning against a building with his eyes still wide and unseeing as a tornado touched down right on the skyscraper's roof. ..tearing it apart.. .Livewire let out a loud roar and threw himself on top of the redhead, casting a barrier spell and when some of the debris pushed through protecting him with his own body.

"Reno!" he shouted, chasing after the cat until he reached the redhead. "Are you okay? Reno! Talk to me!"

Reno looked up at him as the terror in that gaze retreated a little. .."Livewire. ..shit, is he ok?"

Rude shrugged. He didn't know the first thing about keeping animals healthy. The welfare of the family dog had always been something his mother had taken care of, not that he was home enough to know more than the dog's name.

"Hey," he said, taking Reno's hand for a minute. "If we die, I don't want you to be mad at me, okay"  
"m'not mad, yo. ...but you scared the fuck outta me back there. .. .for a minute there. ..thought you were really gonna hit me"  
Livewire whimpered, he was a shade banged up. ..but ok. ..but then Reno turned back, his face frozen in an expression of horror as he pointed back toward the tower...the last ditch...Sister ray, aimed toward the crater. ..then a volley of fire heading back toward them. ..suddenly the explosion which blossomed, and the loud creak as the top two floors of the tower collapsed in on themselves. .."Oh Gods no. ...Boss. "  
Rude couldn't watch the building's collapse. He just couldn't. He had too much at stake in that building and what it stood for. He glanced around at the flying debris.

"Inside," he ordered, picking up the heavy cuahl and carrying it towards the door. "We have to go inside"  
"I gotta go, He might still be alive in there, remmember, our job is to protect the president...well I'm gonna"  
Rude set the cat down as gently as he could as he reached out quickly to grab Reno's arm.

"No!" he shouted over the wind picking up. "There is nothing you can do. Floors collapsed on him, Reno. He's dead!" Rude paused, the enormity of his own words sinking in. "He's... dead"  
With that Reno shook his arm free went around back, grabbing his little motorbike, plopping the helmet on, he gave Rude a look that says "Do you have faith in me?"

Rude took a deep breath, knowing that once Reno made up his mind, there was really nothing he could do.

With a sort of sad smile, Rude answered, "Don't you fucking die on me."

Reno set a hand on his cheek, smiling softly before continuing

"Rude. ..you know the boss, yo. ..if anyone could have survived that hellhole. ..it's him. He survived the abuse he took from his dad for all those years...besides. ..you know cuahls have barrier magic, it's possible Dark Nation cast a barrier around him like Livewire did for me." With that he rode hard toward the tower. ..when he got there the electricity was off, the halls filled with smoke, he called. .. hearing a tiny whimpering sound from a vent above him he crawled into it, when he reached the other side of the vent he saw Dark Nation. ..the big cat held a figure on her back. .. the figure was wearing white...and the chest still rose and fell, even if in a somewhat shakey manner.. .he dialed Rude's phone. "Get the car ready, we need to get outta here. ..Boss is ALIVE. Banged up,. but alive"  
Rude didn't bother thinking. His Turk training kicked and and he just did as he was told, no questions asked. However, once it was certain the President was okay, there would be a hell of a lot of questions asked... if they all survived the Meteor.  
Reno was waiting outside when Rude pulled up, the president in his arms. ..when he saw the brilliant white wash on the horizon. "Whoa, shit yo. ..is it?"

Rude's jaw dropped, his sunglasses falling down his nose as a single word escaped his lips.

"Holy..."

Reno watched it buzz all the way across. ..the cigarette he had held between his lips falling to the ground with a soft "tinking" noise. ..but instead of blocking the meteor. .. it seemed to be sucking it in even faster. "Fuck. . ..I thought it was supposed ta STOP it"  
"It is..." Rude whispered, realizing simultaneously that the fairy tale his grandmother told him was, in fact, both the truth and a blatant lie.

Reno watched it for a moment. ..then saw something else. ..this slower than Holy. ..it seemed as if the Ancient's face hung on the horizon for a moment. ...then whipping tendrils of green. ..floating out of vents within the planet's surface. ..welling out and then up. ..wrapping around the meteor. . .surrounding it. ..slowly seeping into the seams the rocket had created and like little fingers tearing it apart. "Fuckin' a. ..did I. ..just see that?" 


	7. Chapter 7

"She... saved us...?" he asked no one in particular. Rude couldn't believe it. He paused a moment, realizing just what had happened. "The Lifestream...?"

"Yeah, fuck me, yo. .." Then he got hit by a wave as it went by and his face twisted into a rictus of guilt and just, God, so many other emotions. He could HEAR the voices of the people who had died who rested within that particular eddy, many of them fthe ones he had killed when the plate fell. ..he gripped his temples, wanting to tell the voices to shut up, to just back off, to leave him alone, that he knew his sins and didn't need no damn fellow slum rat to remind him. As it washed over him and passed he breathed heavily with a muttered curse.

"Reno!" Rude stepped quickly to his partner's side, arms out to catch the redhead if he fell. A little voice in the back of his head reminded him that Reno had the absolute worst luck. Ever.

"Let's say we avoid the next one, eh, yo?" But as it passed completely and one more tiny eddy passed he smiiled a bit, as if someone had whispered something sweet to him, Then he set his hand on his cheek as if someone had touched it and he wanted to hold that touch there. Then it passed Rude amd a whisspered "take carea my brother" could be heard whispered in his ear, as the planet's green lifeblood sank back into the vents within the surface.

Hearing voices from the Lifestream was not at the top of Rude's list of things to do shortly after evading certain death. True, evading certain death was an everyday occurance, moreso as of late, but still, something just creeped him out about it. Not the way Ifrit creeped him out, but a different creeping out.

In response to the voice, Rude just grunted and nodded once, not entirely sure who it was who's brother he was supposed to take care of, but he had an idea.

Reno's face held an almost beautific expression as he watched the sky clear. . .looking around at the wreckage.. .they seemed to be the luckiest bastards in the world, within the only untouched spot in the entire city. the president moaned softly from Reno's arms, Dark Nation winding around the redhaired Turk's legs. "Let's get out ta Kalm, radio said it should be pretty much untouched, and the boss needs a doc." it was spoken in a hushed but very assured tone.

Rude grunted and nodded again, looking around for the best mode of transportation. A car wouldn't work so well, as most of the streets were either covered in debris or torn to shreds. A helicopter would be ideal, but from what Rude could tell, there wasn't a functional one in sight.

Reno then heard another hushed moan, this one not an adult one, but that of a child one not more than 3 or 4 from the sound of the voice, he handed Rufus off to Rude and began digging. As he reached where the rubble was cleared enough he could see a swatch of burgundy hair. ..as he uncovered a bit more he saw a blue dress with a white apron, much like the one Marlene wore. He lifted the little girl who held a moogle doll out of the rubble when familiar warking sound hit their ears. A Chocobo. Now, Reno may not be too fond of the noisy oversized chickens, but it was certainly better than WALKING to Kalm.

Rude was always of the camp that a chocobo was more suited as dinner than as a mount, but he wasn't one to look a gift bird in the mouth. He greatly wished that he had a pocket full of greens to help catch the walking drumstick.

"You gonna help me catch it?" he asked Reno, hoping the redhead would say yes. He was not looking forward to possibly chasing the bird across the entire city.

Reno nodded, then felt something crumbly in the girl's dress pocket. ..greens, she had greens! Now, normally he wasn't one to steal from children, but he needed the damn greens. ..but the bird seemed to have that idea too for it nosed at the girl with another soft wark. "Heh, 'sour lucky day yo!" He grabbed the Chocobo's leanneck, lifting Rufus and the girl onto it before mounting in between them, indicating Rude should climb on behind Rufus. Livewire suddenly appeared from the house next to Dark Narion with a soft mew, the two big cats sniffing each other in greeting. "C'mon you two, follow dinner" he called to the two cuahls.

"You've got to be kidding me," Rude mumbled, looking at how cramped the chocobo's back was. There was no way someone of his comparable size was going to fit on there, too. Still, he tried, and barely manged to stay on the chocobo's back without falling off the tail.

Reno took off with the bird at almost breakneck speed, the two cats keeping up with them in an easy lope. With only one incident in which Rude did actually slip off the bird's tail and he had to stop and help him back up they reached Kalm. The town as the radio had said was untouched, and he rented a room at the inn, asking the innkeeper to send the town physician over as soon as he possibly could to see to two survivors of the crisis.

Rude also wanted a word with the doctor. He wouldn't admit it to Reno, but he tailbone felt bruised, if not broken. He carefully set himself on the twin bed not occupied by Rufus and the girl, laying on his stomach and trying not to move too much.

"Yo, sorry 'bout ya gettin' dropped," The apology was soft, a loft softer than one would expect from Reno, but the past two days had left him unsure of where he stood. "Sorry 'bout. ..that idiocy back at the condo. .. I know I made a promise to you never to do that again. ..an' I broke it. If you were mad at me I'd understand totally."

"Not mad at you," Rude said, pausing to suck in a harsh breath as he tried to push himself up to look at Reno. Moving was definitely not a good idea until the doctor came. "Mad at... fuck." Rude's eyes squeezed shut as he clenched his teeth. He had to stop trying to move. It had just gotten worse as the doctor took his sweet time getting there. Where before he could walk with a little pain, he currently felt like someone was ramming a red hot, painful poker up his ass.

The doctor, a bustling little older woman, strode into the room, checking over the two who obviously needed it first, clucking her tongue against her teeth as she began binding wounds and casting higher level restorative spells than either of the boys had the energy for. Rufus soon egan to shift on the bed, his blue eyes opening, though they were just a shad dimmed, as if he hadn't fully awakened quite yet. The little girl immediatly sat up and began crying for her parents. ..they had been buried in the disaster though, and likely would never be found. She then turned to Rude. "I see injuries of this sort all the time when people are first learning to ride, I'll have you fixed up in a jiffy "And with one more Cure 3 his tailbone mends itself.

Rude didn't mean to moan pleasantly as the restorative spell mended his tailbone. But the feeling of pleasure that seemed to accompany any artificial restorative went directly from his tailbone, up his spine, into his brain, and back down between his legs. He couldn't believe it. He was NOT 13 anymore; there was no need for random, spontaneous erections. But, there it was, pressing into the bed as the doctor looked at him funny.

"Thanks," he grunted, not standing up. A steel rod in your pants was not something you stood up with to show both an older woman and a young girl. His entire head, ears and all, had pinkened in embarassment.

Reno meanwhile was comforting the girl with an impromtu puppet show..."Hey look, it's mr Socky. ..he's gonna get ya!" he actually managed to elicit a laugh from her. "M'name's Emily Tarshil" she said quietly. "My mum died after she had me, and Da's gone. .." she sniffed softly "He brougt me outside, then our house fell down n'us."

Then he looked over at Rude with a soft, knowing grin, and mouths "Shower after she falls asleep" at him.

Rude rolled his eyes. Leave it to Reno to both assess and silently make fun of his problem without saying much of a word. He shifted slightly, thankful for the lack of pain, but a little unthankful for the pleasantness of his arousal rubbing against the inside of his boxers.

Reno wasn't making fun, not really, just wanted to assist him with the problem, then his face got serious as he began to attend to the bigger matters at hand. .. asessing how bad their boss's disabilities were going to be, checking that their two fellow Turks had escaped Meteor allright, and the matter of the now orphaned little girl that was currently in their care.

Carefully, very carefully, Rude stood, his back to both Rufus and the little girl. He couldn't do his job with a raging hard-on. He had to take care of it, and take care of it now. Walking as casually as he could muster, Rude went towards the bathroom.

When his eyes met Rude's again they had a bit of longing in them. He'd always thought about having a family "After he'd gotten out of the slums and made something of himself" Then it had been "After we finally retire" due to how dangerous the life of a still-active Turk was. Opportunity had dropped a ready made family right in his lap, and he wanted it so bad he could taste it. Hell, if he was right this girl belonged to one of his numerous cousins on his father's side anyway, so therefor was his blood and his responsibilty, but he shook his head after asking the doc to administer a sedative to the girl, to which she nodded. He'd deal with it after he helped his partner with his problem.

Rude sighed quietly. He knew that look on Reno's face. And where Reno was a family man at heart... Rude was not. Sure, he liked kids well enough... liked them even better when he could give them back after a few hours. He much preferred to be 'Uncle Rude' than 'Daddy'.

However, that wasn't neary as important as the tent in his pants that he was pretty sure he hid quite well from the child and their employer. He closed the bathroom door, not noticing Reno following him.

Reno cornered him in the shower, pinning him against the wall with a fierce kiss, his body shaking. It had been a fiercely nasty week, and he wanted to reassure himself he was alive.

If Rude said Reno'd caught him totally off guard, he'd be lying. True, he had expected him to play Mommy Reno to the little girl, giving him enough time to take the edge off his problem, but a little part of him... well, not so little part of him, knew otherwise. A deep chuckle rose from Rude's thought as he broke the kiss to look into Reno's eyes.

"Think they can hear us?" he asked, voice a low rumble in his chest.

"Had her sedate the girl, yo. .and if the boss can I suspect he'll be laughin' and cheerin' us on."

"If not trying to get out of bed and join in," he mumbled, almost too quiet for anyone to hear. However, with his possible objections to his loud redhead helping him relieve some stress gone, he decided it best to just enjoy what he had... with a little jibe, of course.

"I could have taken care of this myself," he said, eyes smiling happily while his lips smirked. He took himself into hand, slowly letting his loose fist travel over the soft skin.

Reno almost licked his lips. ..Gods his lover was beautiful. ..so beautiful it made him want to cry at times. . ."I still plan on makin' good on that license, ya know. ..gonna make an honest man o' ya." with that he knelt down, taking that tube of flesh into his mouth with a soft moan of utter longing. .. lips and tongue nearly devouring him.

His hands drifted down to cup his testicles, rolling them gently between his fingers as his eyes rolled back in his head. Reno really did have a wonderful mouth. Really. And Rude didn't just think of it when he was buried balls deep in said mouth, either.

"Honest man," he repeated, tone indicating that he was not the one being made honest in their partnership.

Reno only peered up at him with those twinkling eyes...he hadn't touched another man. .or woman for that matter, ever since they'd become exclusive Not even during the time before the plate when they'd been apart. It was a lot of nights spent with the photos and sheets that still had Rude's scent on them and his own fisted fingers. He didn't consider himself too prefer either gender really, he just loved who he loved, with every bit of his heart and soul, and that was the one he knelt before right now, his throat taking him in as he drinks of him like the headiest wine. . .a soft moan echoing around Rude's cock.

For as many people who had called Reno a cocksucker, Rude wished they knew just how good of one he was. Or not, now that he thought about it. No, he wanted that mouth all to his own. And it was his own as he threaded the fingers of his free hand into Reno's hair, thrusting gently against his partner's lips. He felt the murmers, the moans, and that slight hint of dangerous teeth. It was wonderful.

Reno's eyes suddenly began to tear as he realizes just how close he had come to losing this. ..all of the plans and dreams he'd had for the future. ..they had all almost gone up in smoke. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Ancient that had saved them all. His motions become more frantic now, but he lifts off, positioning himself against the shower wall. ..that slender form so inviting. "Please. .I need you."

Rude turned Reno to face him, meeting eyes. He was close, so close in fact that if another handful of water droplets landed just so on him, he was going to explode.

With a gentle kiss pressed to the redhead's forehead, Rude slowly moved to his knees, a single finger flashing out to run from base to tip of Reno's obvious arousal. He looked up, looking for a sure sign that Reno didn't want that and, finding none, took the head of his partner's erection into his mouth.

Reno tilted his head back, practically sobbing. ..he could feel life thrumming along his nerves again. . .looking at his home. ..everything he'd worked for and fought for and the life he'd had destroyed that way had shaken him more than he'd realized.

Rude pulled back, licking his lips before pushing forward again, feeling Reno's arousal split his lips apart, taking in as much of his lover as he could. True, Rude knew himself to be inferior in the oral sex department to Reno, but then again, according to Rude, EVERYONE was. He felt the first taste of precome touch his tongue and moaned lightly.

"Gods, so good. .wanna know I'm alive, yo. ..need you. . .need to know. ..so many times thought one of s was gonna die. ..shit, " and his back arched to push more of himself into Rude's mouth. ..his chest shook with supressed emotion, all of it beginning to come out now.

Rude took all he could, gagging only slightly with Reno's last push. He did not have the supreme control of his gag reflex and breathing to just close his thoat and let the redhead slide right in. He did his best, though, pulling all the way back until only the tip of the head was between his lips, then sliding forward again until he had reached right before the gagging point.

"You can..." he said when his mouth had nothing in it, sliding his lips down and back before finishing. "... come if you want."

Reno did, with a loud cry followed by soft sobs, it had been more than pleasure. ..this time. ..an emotional release. ..he dove on Rude again, this time lining up after only spit and water lube. ..sliding him home with a gasping sigh. ..he was incredibly full. ..even if Rude came with that one motion. ..to feel him again was all he'd needed.

While Rude had calmed down a little with pleasuring Reno, the feel of his lover's tight body on his was more than what he needed. He grasped Reno's hips, pulling down as he spilled himself inside the redhead.

Reno then turns him over.. ..he was already hard again, he took the lotion from the medicine cabinet, slicking himself up, then watching Rude to see if it bothered him. He would never EVER take anyone against their will, but he needed this. ..to have both of them joined, to feel Rude around him and know the big man was as alive as he was. ..he was shaking badly. . .

Rude took a deep breath. He knew that Reno knew he wasn't about being bottom all the time. He liked it every once in a while, usually after long evening in front of a bottle. However, if it was what the redhead needed, he would do it.

He smiled, happy that Reno had remembered he didn't like doing it face to face when he was bottom. However, that stemmed more from his dislike of being contorted into a pretzel than from anything else. He was a big man, not easily bent in half.

"Stretch me first," he said. It had been awhile since he last did that and was fairly certain his body needed to be reminded of how much room it needed to make for Reno.

Reno gently inserted first one of those slender piano player fingers. ..then two. ..stretching with a gentle scissoring motion, his fingers sketching that magic spot inside. ..as soon as he felt the resistance scatter he slid in in one very smooth thrust. ..sitting a moment to give his partner time to adjust. ..but he knew Rude would feel the tears against his back. ..the emotions coming out with a loud roar as he felt him clench down. ..gods, it felt so incredible. ..his cheek resting against the well muscled back, smelling that sweet, musky scent that was part of who he was, he claimed him body and soul from the world that had wanted to rob Reno of what was his.

It started off as just a simple feeling of fullness, emotions touched as he felt Reno shatter emotionally above him. He clenched tight, liking the feeling as Reno's arousal occassionally brushed gently at his hidden spot. Within minutes he felt himself gasping, arching back to take more of Reno into him.

Reno took Rude in hand, as always mindful of his pleasure, whenever he topped, those rare occasions, he always saw to the other's pleasure first, it was only the right thing to do, and he had always been a considerate lover. . .but his hand shook on the flesh as he did so. ..he heard the stereo in the back. ..the song echoed his feelings. ..he wondered idly how Rude had gotten his CD collection out in all of that madness and his little boombox but he was damn glad he'd done so. ..as the sweet notes of the bridge of "My Immortal" spun out over his ears and heart he thrust in deep with the crescendoed note at the end of it. .crying out and his grip became tighter, strokes surer. It was the absolute truth, no matter what happened from here...the big man would always have all of him.

Reno's hands. Where the redhead's body met his. It was exquisite sensation after exquisite sensation until he came again, not as hard as he had earlier, but with just as much emotion in it. His head dropped until his forehead rested on his bent arms, lungs gasping for air.

Reno held onto him the best he could, though Rude was heavy, and he was feeling pretty damn drained after that experience.

It took a moment, the aftershocks causing his muscles to lightly clench and unclench unconsciously. Finally, Rude spoke without lifting his head.

"We need to get back in the shower," he said, indicating the mess they made.

Reno nodded, drawing himself to his feet, though his legs shook badly. .."Shit yo. ..dizzy. .." but he chuckles...the emotional release had been exactly what he'd needed, as the now relaxed state of his muscles would attest to.

Rude lifted his head, thinking of something else. "We need to eat, too." Neither of them had eaten more than a few bites that day. No wonder they were both exhausted and emotional. He climbed back into the shower, intent on cleaning off quickly and going back into the room to ask about food.

Reno again nodded, his hair was full of soot and plaster from the destroyed buildings. . ."We lost everything. ..but the boss'll rebuild, right? He's got plenty o' funds ta do it. ..soon enough we'll all be back and ensconced in a nice office again, yo."

Truth be told, Rude preferred missions to deskwork, but after the week he'd been having, a few days of deskwork looked like heaven. He nodded to Reno, stepping out of the shower and drying off with a soft white towel. He loved hotel towels. No particular reason, he just did.

"Just. .hell, we hafta decide where we're gonna live now. .our condo went up with the resta midgar. .."

"Wherever the President tells us to live," Rude said, pulling on his boxers and wifebeater. He was glad he managed to save a couple duffle bags of their clothes, otherwise he was going to have to get them more clothes. And Rude hated shopping. Especially with an excited to be shopping Reno tugging him along.

He nodded, his mind still reeling at the enormity of the loss. an entire city. ..it made sector seven look like a convience store robbery in compmarision. "Gonna go check on him." He pulls his pants and shirt and blazer back on.

Rude nodded, gathering up his clothes and the towels. The towels he placed over the top of the shower doors, his clothes he carried in front of him. He foolishly left the duffle bags on the other side of the room, and he was not putting his dust covered suit back on over his clean skin. The President and little girl would just have to deal with his partial nudity. At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he, as silently as he could, stepped out of the bathroom and walked as unassumingly as possible towards the bags.

Emily immediatly glomped onto Reno as they stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes still blinking sleepily. "Mr Shinra said to tell you to order supper when ya came out." she said. Dark Nation and Livewire seemed to have taken to the girl too, each of the big cats curled up around her, she seemed completely unafraid of them.

Rude nodded at the little girl, mind still focused on putting on pants and a shirt. He knelt down in front of the bags, hunting carefully for anything more to cover himself with.

Reno meanwhile was on the phone ordering room service, yelling out to ask who wanted what.

Rude didn't bother answering, knowing that Reno knew what he liked. He just hoped he wouldn't get whatever he was ordering ninth level of hell hot like he did last time. Rude liked spicy food, but he liked to taste the food under the spice, too. He smiled when he found a pair of jeans. As much as he wanted to be in his suit in front of the President, he only had two left, one clean, one covered in dust.

Rufus was sitting up in bed, finally fully awake, laptop sitting across his legs as he checked to see what assets he had still remaining that he could liquidate in order to rebuild. His near death experience had changed him, made him more aware of what he had to lose. he told Reno what he wanted and shifted a bit. His legs were still numb and useless, but at least he could move his bottom now in order to get more comfortable.

Rude stood, jeans making a crisp sound as the fabric rubbed against itself. He tucked the wifebeater into the waistband, moving purposefully to stand as a bodyguard to the blonde. When the little girl whose name he already forgot looked up at him, he smiled gently, hoping he did't scare her. Sometimes, his sheer bulk and quiet demeanor frightened children, something he never intended.

Emily chuckled when she wasn't afraid of the two big cats, why would she fear him? Besides, she'd watched the way he'd tried to comfort his partner on the way in, so she knew how gentle he could be. "He told me you're a little leery of kids." She said it as if she were repeating by rote what Reno had told her. "What's Leery? Is it like when you're afraida somethin'?"

And that was the main reason Rude wasn't fond of the little ones. They asked far too many questions for him. However, the girl's question gave him pause. Was he afraid of kids? Was that it?

"Uncle Rude just isn't sure of children, sweetie," Rufus said from the bed, turning to smile at the little girl. "Children like you are so small to him, and he doesn't want to accidentally hurt you, since he's so big."

She seemed to be satisfied with that but then she said something that was a clue of just how observant she was. "He really loves you a lot, you know. .." she smiles as she says it, as if it is something she is as sure of as she is that the sun rises in the morning. "Wish I had family like that. ..even though you're not blood. ..you're family."

Reno paused in the middle of ordering the food, thinking about what the girl had said for just a moment. Was it true? Had he had the "family" he'd been seeking all along right in front of his face? When he realized she had said it as naturally as if it had always been true, he facepalms.

The child's words were making Rude uncomfortable. He and Reno had never discussed a family in anything more than a passing manner. He knew Reno wanted it, but Rude wasn't sure he could give it. Not only with the whole them both being unable to bear children thing, but with his whole outlook towards the young people. He disliked dealing with any child between the ages of two and 15 for any longer than a couple hours. He reached up to straighten the tie he wasn't wearing, an unconscious gesture of discomfort.

Reno knew though, he took her outside and explained it to her. "Tell ya what. . .There's a friend of ours named Elena that just adores kids. ..I'll talk to her, see if she'll be your new mama, then Rude n' I can be uncles, k?" The girl nodded shyly. ..if he trusted this woman, so would she.

Besides, if she lived with Elena he could have about as much time with the kid as he wanted, maybe get this wierd thing out of his system. In fact, it wasn't the thought of having kids of his own that had wierded him out about what Hojo had wanted to do so much as it was the pain and discomfort of the whole thing. Kids he liked, pain he did NOT.

Rude breathed a heavy sigh as Reno took the girl outside, one that made Rufus look up at him.

"Sir?" he asked.

Rufus tsked. "You don't want children, Rude?"

Again, Rude's hand went to where his tie should be. "Well, sir... I..."

Rufus chuckled, closing his laptop and setting it aside. "I see. Say no more."

Reno had called Elena on her way in, who had absolutely GUSHED at the idea.

"Sir?" Rude asked, confused. Even he wasn't sure why he wasn't keen on kids, how could the President...?

"You are very much a man, Rude," Rufus said, still being vague in his explaination. "You lack the maternal insticts of your partner."

"It's not that I don't like them, sir, it's..."

Rufus interrupted. "It's that you don't think you can provide the appropriate life for them?" Without waiting for Rude to nod, Rufus continued. "There is a reason most Turks are unwed and without children, Rude."

"You think I don't understand, yo? Why do you think I always put it off? First it was 'when I'm off the streets' Then it was 'when I'm my own person and not someone's whore' Then it was 'when I found someone decent' then finally 'when we retire' I know how dangerous our lives are. 'shwhy I never thougth about it until real recently. But the urge to give someone what I never got has always been there."

Rude jumped at Reno's words, composing himself as quickly as possible. Funny thing was, not that he would tell Reno, Rude didn't plan on retiring. He had heard that when one retired from the Turks, one retired in a wooden box. He had always assumed he and Reno would go out in a blaze of glory, not from old age.

Rufus did know though "Things are changing. . .your jobs are changing, though I daresay there will plenty of excitement in your lives still. But the policy of killing those who are too old to serve died with my father, thank you."

"Sir," Rude said, unsure of what else he really could say. He knew what he was getting into when he went from working door security in the main ShinRa building to be approached by Tseng and offered a more... interesting job. However, he'd always assumed there would be no one of note in his life... that was, until a certain redhead broke through his carefully constructed barriers in a night of wild drinking and even wilder passion.

Reno remembered fondly the party which had preceded that wild night. .. Elena, a secretary for Rufus at that time, but still a friend, had seen the way he looked at his partner and shoved the two of them out onto the floor. ..the song that had played said it all "I know we've been friends forever. . .but now I think I'm feelin' somethin' totally new" That one line, right there, said it all. Rude had been all hot-faced the entire time, unsure of the new bonds forming. But for Reno it had been another of those "duh" moments. What he'd been looking for had been right in front of his face the entire time.

Rude was brought out from wherever world he's slipped to in his mind by a knock at the door. Ah yes. Food. His stomach growled lowly as he thought of it.

Reno opened the door, the guy bringing the tray in "For you the jalapeno quesadillas you like so much, yo" He passes that tray to Rude "For you, boss, the smothered porterhouse with confetti rice and mixed vegetables. an' for me and Em. .. big cheeseburgers with all the trimmin's and french fries. Or as you like to call it partner, 'heart attack on a plate'"

Rude chuckled, nodding to the gentleman outside. Yes, Reno could read him like a large neon sign. Jalapeno quesadillas with sour cream on the side were one of his favourites.

"Thank you," he said to the redhead, pressing a light kiss on Reno's lips before sitting down on the bed to eat.

Reno happened to LOVE the cheeseburgers, even though cardio pulmonary problems ran through his father's side of the family enough to have Rude cihding him about the way he ate sometimes. But what was the point in life if you didn't enjoy it? So he returned the kiss and dug into burger with great relish.

Rude ate quietly, watching the girl with a strange fascination. She was doing something he'd never seen his little brother do. The girl took off a handful of things from the cheeseburger, Rude thinking she just didn't like everything on it. However, he watched as she ate the items, the onion and lettuce. He was about to ask why she ate the best parts first when he noticed her face. Ahhh. Seems she ate the worst parts first, rather than just peel them off and not eat them at all. A dutiful child, this girl was.

Whereas Reno just picked them off and tossed them to one side. He disliked tomatos intensely.

Rude was half finished with his food, alternating between dipping the quesidillias in hot salsa and cool sour cream, when his phone rang. He quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, not looking at the caller ID before answering.

"Rude," he said, only to have a bright voice answer him.

"I know who you are, Rude," Elena said over the line. "Tseng and I just got here. I think we're the only ones left, too." She paused. "What room are you in?" Reno looked at the door and flashed him a 2 and 2 5s in answer. then his face grew thoughtful. .. this had been a very strange day

"255," Rude said, nodding to Reno.

"Great!" Elena chimed. "We'll be up in a few minutes.

Reno knew part of Rude's reluctance was his own raising. ..his father admittedly had done the best he could by his sons, but anything outside of Shinra just didn't pay enough to have a decent way of life and from what little he knew Rude's father simply did NOT like the idea of he OR any of his sons working for the mega-conglomerate. He always felt too much power being in the hands of any one man or business was not a good thing.

He smiled suddenly thinking about that. ..wondering what Rufus was going to do when the time for an heir came around. The boss was a lot more comfortable around kids than even he was. He figured he'd probably enter into a poliically based marriage with the agreement on both parties that once an heir was produced each was free to carry on as if they were not married.

A single, curt sounding knock at the door indicated Tseng's presense. A loud, "Hey!" shortly after indicated Elena's. Rude stood, walking over towards the door. He suddenly felt quite underdressed.

However he felt, Rude opened the door, nodding to Tseng and Elena. "Good to see you up, sir," he said, indicating he healers had done a good job at fixing up the injured man.

The wutain man nodded "At ease, sir. It is not as if we as yet have a workplace to return to."

A faint blush touched Rude's cheeks as he stepped out of the way to let the two Turks in. It was, however, gone by the time Elena had latched onto him in a bear hug. For being such a small girl, she was strong.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said, still attached to Rude. "Did you see it? Did you?"

Reno nods. We were out in the middle of it, yo" He does not tell her about how they had ended UP outside while meteor was bearing down on them, though the memory of his actions which had driven the fight caused his cheeks to tinge pink.

Rude can't help but smile at the girl's enthusiasm. Even if the world were close to ending, he could count on Elena to at least make it slightly more bearable. That's not to say Reno hadn't, but it's different when you're standing next to your lover.

Elena stopped, detaching herself from Rude at Tseng's throat clearing noise. She saluted Rufus after smiling at the little girl in the room. "Sir."

Tseng held back to the urge to walk over to Rufus and do something rather unseemly

"How are things outside?" Rufus asked, a tiny smile crossing his face at Tseng.

"The whole city has fallen sir. ..There are perhaps 3 or 4 buildings remaining. ..and those not inhabitable." Tseng's almond-shaped eyes closed at having to deliver the news that the dream Rufus' father had built had died in such a horrific manner.

"I see," was all Rufus said.

Rude went about silently collecting their empty dishes, not wanting to disrupt the two men.

The black cuahl disengaged herself from her position now curled around the striped one and trotted over to her master, mewing in sympathy. "I am particularly glad to note that you made it through the fall of the tower. ..when I saw the destruction I had thought for sure you had been killed."

"So did I," Rude said quietly.

Rufus chuckled darkly. "Takes more than a building to kill me, gentleman," he paused to look at Elena's frown. "And lady."

Tseng finally could not resist the urge to be sure he was real and solid, and set a hand on the president's shoulder.

Both Rude and Elena turned away from the sight, knowing that neither man liked to be any sort of exhibitionist. Once they did, Elena finally got a good look at the little girl in the room.

"Reno?" she asked, hardly able to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Is this her?"

Reno nods "Yeah, she looks a lot like me, don't she?" He chuckles.

"Is she yours?" Elena asked seriously, causing Rude to sputter.

"Uh, no, I haven't touched anyone else in almost 5 yers, you know that Laney. ..nah, she belongs to onea Dad's NUMEROUS cousins, Gods only know which one."

Elena laughed at the two men, still ignoring the gentle kisses being shared between the two superiors on the bed.

She crouched down to get closer to the girl. "Hi," she said brightly. "My name's Elena. What's yours?"

"Emily Marie Tarshil, ma'am." She smiled at Elena "You liked him, didn't you?" Again, the awareness most young children have that they shouldn't, along with point blank honesty as the child nods over to Tseng.

"I... well..." Elena stuttered, her face pink. Was it still that obvious? "Not so much, anymore, Emily. See?" she pointed at Tseng and Rufus, who were oblivious to the other occupants of the room. "No room for me there. Besides," she grinned. "There's another boy I like." Her grin took on that of girls spilling their deepest, darkest secrets at slumber parties. "Is there any boys you like?" she asked the girl.

"Ew, boys have cooties!" The almost 5 year old girl exclaimed.

Elena laughed. "These ones do," the blonde pointed a look at Reno. "But just you wait and see. Someday, you'll find a boy that doesn't have them. Like Rude there." Elena pointed up at the tall man.

"Uncle Rude," Rufus corrected from the bed, not really caring that he was drawing attention to the fact that he was cuddling quite happily with Tseng.

Another laugh from Elena. "Uncle Rude doens't have cooties. That's why Uncle Reno likes him."

"I do NOT have cooties, yo!" He laughs at the declaration. "Well, the bathroom tiles might right now, but that's beside the point."

Rude's face went from a small laugh to a look of almost fear. He quickly went into the bathroom, making sure he'd cleaned up the entire mess he and Reno had made earlier.

Tseng then turns to Rufus, checking the bruises he'd noted on Rufus' skin yesterday, but instead of turning yellow and fading, they'd turned to a color as dark as his cuahl. "They've not healed any, I see.

Rufus had been ignoring his injuries in favour of attempted to rebuild the ShinRa Electric Power Company. A few darkened bruises wouldn't stop him. He chose not to say a word, instead looking out the window at the darknening evening.

Tseng simply shook his head, his lover whom he'd known since Rufus was a mere child was almost as impossibly stubborn as Reno was. "I worry for you, Rufus-kun" he whispers. "There have been whispers of others with bruises just like these growing iill."

"They are merely bruises, Tseng," Rufus said, not taking his eyes from the window. "What could you expect from having a building fall on you?" He looked back at Tseng, smiling, even thought the smile didn't reach his eyes. He'd heard the stories, too, but he chose to ignore them. He didn't have time to worry about mysterious illnesses.

Tseng merely nodded, though he was deathly worried. ..he watched Reno turn into Rude's arms as they restablished their own connection, though he could sense a buzz of tension about them still. despite the tension things seemed to be as well as can be expected considering everything they'd ever known had shattered at their feet.

Elena had taken the girl into the bathroom, helping her change into one of Elena's nightshirts. When they returned, the nightshirt looked like a long dress on the little girl, and Elena was wearing a pair of pajama pants and a tank top.

"And now, Miss Emily," Elena said, lifting the girl up onto the empty bed. "To bed with you." She looked at the boys. "And you guys as well. There's another room next door, Rude, if you and Reno want it."

Reno nods. . .he looks utterly exhausted, as he is sure his partner does.

Rude picked up their duffle bags, taking the offered key from Elena and tossing a 'goodnight' towards them before he walked to the next room.

Reno did as well. ..immediatly FALLING into bed. "Fuck. ..now I'm gonna be seein' that danm rock in my dreams"

Rude grunted, knowing that regardless of what he said, the redhead was bound to have a nightmare of some fashion that night. It always happened when Reno worked himself to exhaustion. He dropped their bags inside, making it a point to lock the door behind him before falling into the other side of the bed.

Not that he'd much of a choice. ..it was evacuate or die, he prefered to live thank you.

Rude stripped down under the covers, pushing his clothes onto the floor before curling himself around Reno, a gesture of protection and possessiveness.

Reno true to his word had not dipped into what was left of his hypnocil. he felt badly enough for what he'd done earlier. . .instead if they came they came.

Rude made a note of that, but still, he would not be happy with Reno waking him up in a strangle hold again.

"If you need it..." he offered, breath tickling the redhead's ear.

"What's lefta it is all melted asnyway. ..gelcaps n' heat are a bad combo."

"I can go downstairs to the party store if you need it, Reno." No. Rude was not enabling. Never.

Reno finally nodded with the tiniest of whimpers. ..he was exhausted, strung out, and in desperate need of sleep and to regain the weight the past week of pretty much torture had caused him to drop.

Rude figured as much. What he wasn't going to tell Reno was that he was getting it as much for himself as he was the redhead. He'd seen more than enough between the last week to give even him nightmares.

Rude climbed out of the bed, pulling on a pair of pants and his shoes. "You want anything else?" he asked. 


	8. Chapter 8

Reno shook his head groggily, already beginning to drift off, Between the aftereffects of his injuries, barely eating at all for several days more than a few bites prior to the meal he'd just finished, and stress, he was so physically exhausted he could barely stand up.

Rude was quick to the convenience store, purchasing both a couple bottles of water and a bottle of the dream supressant. He was mildly tempted to walk out back where a few hushed voices spoke of stronger things, but he'd given that up ages ago. As he walked back to the hotel, he opened one of the bottles of water, taking two of the gel capsules before he returned to their room.

Their room which he forgot to grab the key to. Dammit. If Reno was already asleep, he didn't want to wake him... but then again... Rude sighed, knocking gently on the door.

Elena came back in, two bags in her hands, evidently having made a shopping run "Here, you forgot your key? let me get the manager, he has the master key."

Rude nodded, leaning against the wall. The mild sedatives in the dream supressant, combined with the exhaustion of the week, were already making it hard for him to keep his eyes open. It had been a long while since he'd taken anything stronger than a vitamin suppliment, and he already felt more guilty than he probably should have for being too weak to resist the idea of not dreaming about the world nearly ending.

Elena got the manager, and as they let him in Elena loaned him a shoulder and got him into bed. "He's already out, big guy. looks almost passed out, he must have been pretty tired."

Rude grunted somthing that sounded like it could have been either 'good night' or 'food on the right', curling up under the covers with Reno. He was asleep even before his head hit the pillow.

Reno when the demons came calling this time it was a mix of the fire when they went after the two soldiers...him eternally running, calling Rude's name, never finding him, then screaming as it collapsed, that then morphed into the tower collapsing. ..Meteor coming down. ..Rude's hand yanked out and away by one of those swirling tornados as it came down. ..he woke with a full ringing scream like he hadn't in almost 5 years, ears still ringing from it, eyes wide open and unseeing, heart pounding as if it would tear its way free of his ribcage, breathing when the scream had died off ragged..."fuck" he muttered before climbing out of bed and getting into the shower. ..wanting nothing more than to cleanse the demons away a while.

Something broke through Rude's dreamless sleep, not exactly waking him, but causing him to become slightly more aware of his surroundings. The sedative in the two dream suppressants he'd taken kept him unconscious.

He finally finished his shower, skin rubbed completely raw, though he stiill felt like he wanted to crawl out of it like a snake. ..Old habits died hard, and their death even harder when one had nearly lost one who meant everything to him. He'd used to do this every night after being pimped out, scrub himself so hard sometimes his skin bled. .. but the dirty feeling never left. Other faces had popped up in his nightmare, too. ..faces leering at him, though it was through a haze, as if he'd been drugged. He settled in next to Rude, knowing damn well he'd be asked about the red marks on his skin when they woke up, but not caring at the moment. . .he curled around his sleeping love instead.

When a warm, squishy yet bony mass wrapped around him, Rude smiled in his sleep. He could tell Reno's feel regardless of how conscious he was. Without a worry, he fell back into a deep sleep, a light snore issuing from him.

When the light came in through the windows and a robin started singing loud enough to drag him from sleep he whimpered just a little as he moved to sit up, the skin sensitized by his rough treatment of it the previous night radiating soreness as it dragged against Rude's beard, his arm feeling as if it had been skinned. he padded to the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror and picking up h is hairbrush. .. he looked like stomped shit still, he wondered when he'd feel and look like his old self again.

As the sedatives slowly released Rude from their hold, one thought came slowly to him. Where was Reno? Not yet opening his eyes, Rude scratched at his face, noticing that he needed to shave. He rolled over, wanting just a few more minutes with his redhead... however, upon reaching around the bed, he was forced to open his eyes, only to see that said redhead wasn't there.

"Reno?" he called, wondering if he'd gone for breakfast... or worse.

"m'back here." He muttered from the bathroom, running the brush through his badly knotted hair, his skin was red, cracking in a few places, but he didn't realize that, he was just sore. . .

Rude stretched, yawned, then scratched before getting out of bed. He hadn't slept that well in weeks. Maybe Reno had the right idea with those damn pills...? Rude padded softly towards the bathroom, fully intending to relieve his morning glory one way or another.

Reno waves still looking sleep rumpled, once that nightmare had woken him up he'd slept well for the remainder of the niight. He wasn't angry with Rude for sleeping through it, not by a long shot, and after a good scrub he'd been able to put the demons to rest well enough to sleep the rest of the way through.

Rude muttered a gruff sounding, "Morning." to Reno. Not so much gruff because of any reason other than overused morning voice. He did his morning business before reaching in and turning the shower on.

With his back turned to Reno, he said, "You showered without me."

"Last night. ..couldn't sleep. ..you mad, m'sorry if so. .couldn't sleep." His own was soft, shakier than usual. of course that could be chalked up the past week, he rubbed at his eyes as he watched Rude shower, feeling faintly guilty. Rude would remember the times he'd scrubbed himself raw, which had been what had begun their ritual of showering together in the first place.

"Should've waited..." Rude paused and sneezed. "I like washing your hair." Which he did. It wasn't because he didn't have any of his own to wash, no. It was more of a togetherness thing, something that only the two of them could share. He knew it was comforting to Reno and, truth be told, it was just as comforting to him.

"Left m'hair alone...knew you'd wanna do it." and he stepped in with him, hissing as the water stung his skin.

Rude silently took out the small hotel bottle of shampoo/conditioner mix. Pouring the entire contents into his hand, he began working it through Reno's hair. Once there was a nice lather, he spoke softly.

"Your skin's red."

"Hmm. ..guess I scrubbed harder than I thought. .. " His words were nonchalant, belying the tremor that had run through him. To be honest he barely remembered getting into the shower at all the previous night, he'd been still groggy with sleep and shakey from the nightmare.

"Reno," Rude's voice left no room for dissent as he turned the redhead to face him. "You scrubbed yourself raw." He said it as if he were just stating a fact, trying not to let the slight hint of disappointment he felt into his voice.

"Bad one last night, yo. ..think there's some supressed shit comin' back up too. no excuses, I know, just didn't realize how much I was scrubbin'. Couldn't get clean" Again, the words were spoken in that quiet tone.

Rude nodded, soapy hands tilting Reno's head back so he could wash the lather from the redhead's hair. After watching the last of the suds swirl down the drain, he bent down to pick up the small bar of white soap, holding it up in a silent question.

Reno nodded, even if if he knew it was probably going to sting. "Not sure how else to deal...you make me feel clean. ..buit no way I wanted ta wake ya last night, you needed it".

Rude smiled lightly. Reno really did indulge him too much. Okay, so Rude indulged Reno quite a bit as well, but it was his job, wasn't it? He started soaping up around Reno's shoulders, strong hands working out any leftover tenseness there and slowly working their way downwards.

Reno hissed indeed when the soap hit, but the soreness began to fade off except in one place on his back where his scrubbing had reopened the lash wound, it bled the tiniest bit, he began to lean into Rude as the pain faded off, eyes going heavy-lidded. He seemed almost to be purring. "I love you. ..never forget it, yo, even when I get stupid."

Rude chuckled deep in his chest. "When aren't you stupid?" he joked, knowing that Reno was a whole hell of a lot smarter than he let on to most people. Rude lifted Reno away from him, silencing any protest with a light kiss. He trailed soapy fingers up to wash gently around Reno's face, fingertips brushing lovingly over tattooed cheekbones and a nose that had been broken more times than he could count.

It still had a splint from this last time. .it had been a nastier one, too, in the place along the bridge that is a horribly dangerous spot to break.

"Close your eyes," Rude requested softly before tilting Reno's head again to wash away the soap. When he was finished, he pulled Reno back to him, just holding the redhead close under the fall of the warm water.

He shivered against him. "I was so afraid of losing you in all of this madness. .."

Rude held him tighter, trying to calm the shakes with the tightness of his hug alone.

"Tell me about it." Rude knew it was best if Reno just let it out. When the redhead pushed it underneath his carefree exterior, all the pain, rage, anything would come out at some point, usually in an explosive fury followed by extreme depression. True, Rude knew that he shouldn't suppress his thoughts as well, but pots don't call kettles black around here.

Or worse, in bloodied slits across his skin, not a good thing to contemplate. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm meant to be doing this shit...but if I didn't 'd probably be dead."

Rude made a soft sound of assent. His fingers were getting pruney from the water, but he wasn't about to complain. If Reno was going to let it out, he could handle going a few hours with wrinkley skin.

but he was wrapped so tight once more all he could do was shake. What he really needed was to bust a few heads.

"You wanna head to that place just outside o' town. ..? I could use a good friggin' brawl. .." He knew that was precisely what he needed, to bust down a bar the way they used to in Midgar.. .Hell, the Seventh Heaven was the only place they'd never been thrown out of.

It HAD been awhile since they'd been out slumming. Not that Rude called it that in front of Reno, what with the redhead's upbringing and all, but that's what it was. His fingers twitched unconsciously at the thought, as did another appendage. He couldn't help it; it'd been forever since he beat the shit out of someone just for looking at him funny.

He let loose that knife-edge grin, the one that usually meant someone was going to be laying on the floor bleeding by the end of the night. "Man, when was the last time anywaone managed ta push me over the wall into limit? It was that place in Junon, eh? Come down from it an' there were people lyin' smokin' and bleedin'. ..man that was great."

A low, predatory growl slid out from between Rude's lips, the only warning Reno got before the bald man claimed his lips in a fiercely possessive kiss. He guided Reno backwards until the redhead's back was against the wall. He broke the kiss only to growl, "Remind me how it went down," then began staking his claim on Reno's neck. A reminder of how things happened the last time they went out just to cause trouble. No, Rude's idea of dirty talk wasn't a little weird at all.

"Guy tried ta pin me to the bar, then he smacked me right in between the eyes. ..Hit limit an when I did felt like I'd channeled Ramuh. .. picked him up by the throat an' he started shakin'. ..then I broke loose and just started clearin' the place. ..Hell, I shorted out the bar's entire electrical system."

Soft moans and low growls echoed up from him as he recounted it. .."Ended up killin' the guy who hit me. .. "

Rude was, and always would be, a bruiser at heart, regardless of whatever self control he told himself he had. Speaking of, he left a few love bruises scattered along Reno's collarbone, unintentionally, yet intentionally marking the redhead as his own. His hands moved down as he knelt in front of Reno, finally coming to grasp tightly on his partner's hips.  
M Reno shuddered slightly, but this time in anticipation. ..the brawls that happened when he was this tense almost always led to the most incredible sex. .. the lithe rougehaired Turk may have LOOKED tiny and weak, but he was signifigantly stronger than he looked, something which he used to his advantage when they went out for the sole purpose of causing trouble. Many people discovered that his speed and agility far more than made up for what he might lack in sheer brawn. he marked Rude as well. .."This is mine, do not touch"

Rude nosed Reno's arousal, the only warning the redhead got before Rude took him halfway into his mouth, teeth a dangerously light scrape as he sucked. The bald mad was hard, almost painfully so, but to mark, to claim his partner before they went out, he enjoyed more than he wanted to let on.

Reno's head tilted back, a gasp coming free. ..he shook as he twitched inside Rude's mouth, his legs shook. ..he almost fell into his partner, oh yes. ..this was going to be a great night. .wet hair stuck to his back as found himself pinned enough into the wall that he could about collapse and not worry about hitting the floor. "Ngn, Rude. ..fuck. .."

Rude released Reno's arousal, voice sounding harsh and raw as he muttered, "Getting to that..." He paused for only a moment long enough to leave another mark at the base of Reno's cock. He slid his body up Reno's, hand reaching out to grab the nearly empty shampoo/conditioner bottle. He moved back just enough to turn Reno around until he faced the wall. Rude gently kicked at Reno's legs with a, "Spread 'em."

Reno did just that, head still tilted back, breathing still hitched, chest heaving as if there were no oxygen in the air to be had. ..his slim back sheeted in wet crimson, his hips moving in a way that said he needed this. . .NOW.

Rude moaned as he coated his fingers with what was left in the little bottle. He pushed himself against Reno, waterslick erection pressing into the redhead's lower back as his shampoo/conditioner lubed fingers circled Reno's entrance.

Another moan sounded, this one coming from low in his gut as he pressed back into the fingers. ..it felt so incredible. ..

"Tell me..." Rude ground out between clenched teeth. He wanted to take his lover with nothing more than a cry of possession, but he knew it would be better this way. "Tell me how good it feels," he breathed harshly into Reno's ear, a single finger entering the redhead.

"Feels like I'm floatin', yo. ..like everything just got transported off this shithole of a planet and got tossed face first inta that promised land Gainsborough always talked about. .. m'burnin. ..shit."

A second finger joined the first, scissoring a few times before rubbing directly over that wonderful little spot inside, the spot that made Reno makes noises that melted Rude into a puddle of physical sensation. "Go on..." he growled again, nipping at Reno's ear while his free hand splayed over the redhead's abdomen.

He leaned into him, shivering with that tiny whimpering moan that always drove Rude insane. "Like. ..like m'body's just gonna shake apart. ..feels better than the damn X did. . .though shit, you gotta admit the night I got you ta try that was the best sex we ever had. ..but hell, this feels even better."

Rude groaned, rewarding Reno with the removal of his fingers and the pressing of something else against his entrance. He pressed inside, not stopping until he was completely seated within the redhead's body. He paused, waiting for Reno to continue the impromtu game of carnal rewards.

What Rude got in return was an inarticulate sound of utter erotic bliss somewhere between a sigh and a moan and an arch that pushed him in so far he'd be sure he could feel Reno's guts gurgling around his cock. The redhaired vixen's muscles twitched as shocks ran over his nerves. ..it was. . .so fantastic, so unbelievably wonderful

All Rude could do was suck in harsh gasps of air and expel them just as quickly. The way Reno's muscles were clenching almost spasmatically around him was heaven. Yes, heaven was being buried to the hilt inside his readheaded lover.

Finally, after a few moments of not moving, he spoke. "Can you feel me?" he asked with a combination between a gasp and a growl. Rude pulled out only minutely before pressing back in fully. "Can you feel that?"

Reno screamed in pleasure, it was a differnt sound from that ringing terror-filled scream that woke him from sleep, that was high-pitched and set nerves on end. .This was more of a growl that ended in a squealing yelp. coming out with each thrust until the screams become those inarticulate mewls and then those finally die into a soft purr as he begins gasping in time with his lover.

Rude's hand that had previously been used to prepare Reno wrapped itself around the redhead's arousal. He moved his hand in time with his thrusts, an almost feral growl falling from his lips inbetween gasps. Oh yes. They were going to have fun tonight.

It always amazed Reno how the prospect of going out and busting a few heads got him going like nothing else. ..so much so that with a hard slam into him that felt like it was going to push his insides out through his mouth and that about pushed his prostate into his ribs he let out another of those inarticulate wails and came with a force that almost had the white fluid at head level.

Rude froze, feeling nothing but Reno's muscles contracting around him and the twitching as the redhead came. Were he a lesser man, he might just well have passed out, but Rude was by no means a lesser man in any form. He pulled almost completely out of the spasming man, then pushed in and spilled himself.

He almost SPILLED in Rude's arms, but he hadn't passed out this time, though he did have that silly, somewhat loopy grin spread across his face as he took in deep, harsh breaths in order to recover from that mind-robbing climax.

Rude was still shuddering and little hypersensitive as he pulled himself from Reno. He whispered something that could have been either 'thank you' or 'I love you' as he held the redhead to his chest and knelt in the still warm shower. Bless hotels and their infinate hot water heaters.

"G-guess I should dry off if we're gonna go kick some ass, eh?" The words were spoken in a rather shakey manner, but shakey from bliss.

Rude gave a noise between a chuckle and a grunt, letting Reno stand back up and standing himself. He quickly rinsed off the evidence of their union, helping Reno do the same. Once that was done, he turned off the shower and stepped onto the cool tile floor, reaching for a towel.

Reno had only his shakey limbs as evidence of their activities, something which typically eased after about ten minutes or so, which is one of the reasons that such was usually rare in the workplace. Shaky Reno in the midst of a mission is a BAD thing.

He drew his pair of tight leather pants that he wore when they went on over those trembling limbs, then the white undershirt and black mesh top. ..he usually left his hair loose when they went out as well, unlike at work where it got in the way, when they went out it created a hypnotic effect.

Rude smiled at his partner, not bothering to wrap the towel around his waist as he wandered back into their room. Ah, so Reno was even dressing for the occassion. Regardless of the fact that they'd just finishing enjoying each others company in the shower, Reno's attire made him smile almost ferally. Rude decided to dress his part as well. Whereas Reno played the flirt, Rude was, in both attire and attitude, the man not to be fucked with. He removed his secretly favourite blue jeans from the bag, smiling as it seemed they'd grown another tear just above the knee. That made one on one knee, one at each heel, one missing belt loop, and one tear above the knee. He added a plain black t-shirt, his watch, all his metal earrings, and black steel-toed work boots to finish the outfit.

MReno added the final touch. ..the silver chain link belt with the swastika reversed at the bottom of it. then the earring with the face chain and the nose ring...he always removed the nose ring before the rumble, of course., but it added a nice flair to the flirty bad-boy image he liked to portray when they went slumming.

Rude looked at Reno and let out a low whistle. They were, truth be told, quite the mismatched pair. But according to Rude, that was what made it all the more fun. He pocketed his wallet, leaving his Turk ID with his suit. However, as he did that, he felt like he was missing something...

His gloves! His black fingerless gloves with the studs on the knuckles. Ah, those gloves had seen many a fight; he'd had them even before he'd met Reno.

Finally, his hair was brushed completely smooth, when it wasn't pulled back into a tail and geled until it stood on end like a chocobo's feathers it fell in a soft, wavy river down his back.

Rude walked purposefully over to Reno, pulling him close and claiming his lips before the redhead could speak. After a moment, he stepped back, asking, "Ready?"

He snags his emr off the nightstand and nods. He always carried it with him, no matter what, and not just because he loved knocking the crap out of idiots with it. It had saved his ass in more than one brawl that had led to weapons being drawn.

Rude walked confidently towards the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. He turned to Reno.

"You should tell them we're going out," he said, not wanting Tseng or the President to see him dressed so casually. His face was a little pink with the thought of what kind of comment the dear blonde man would make.

"Will do, yo. " With that he knocked on the door to their room.

Elena bounced up from her seat on the floor with Emily, always the morning person. She answered the door and her jaw dropped.

"Reno?" she asked giving him at least three once-overs.

"Yeah babe, let the president know we're goin' slummin' and not to wait up."

As he closed and locked their hotel room door, Rude wondered if they would be manage to get kicked out of all three of Kalm's seedier bars.

"Dressed like that?" Elena asked, amusement in her voice. "Where's Rude?" With that, she looked into the hallway and screeched before falling into a fit of giggles that brought her to her knees.

Rude froze like a deer in headlights. Elena had seen him dressed like... well, like he used to dress when he was a teenager and in his early twenties. And that girl could NOT be trusted to keep her mouth shut.

"Tseng, sir!" she managed to call into the room behind her. "You and the President have GOT to see this!"

Rufus wheeled himself out of the hotel room and damned if he didn't have his camera phone with him. Tseng had gotten him a wheelchair from the hotel.

Oh, he was going to get Elena back for that one. Somehow, someway, the girl was going to get hers.

"That's an interesting look for you, Rude," Rufus said, pausing to take a picture with his phone and chuckle. He turned to Reno, taking a picture of the redhead as well. "I take it from the way you're dress you two will be causing trouble this evening?"

"Hell yes, sir. ..so make sure ta have a few hi-potions handy, we might need 'em."

Rufus chuckled as Elena composed herself enough to push him back into the room. "Make sure you keep up your image as Turks, gentlemen."

Rude was still frozen in place, his usually creamed coffee coloured skin a wonderful shade of red.

"Turks kick ass and disappear like smoke, yes sir. Will do, yo."

Elena closed the door, but not before winking at Reno and blowing a kiss at Rude. Yes, the girl was so getting hers.

As they headed for the company car Reno checked his emr over, the switch he noticed was a bit loose, but it would wait for the jingled the keys in his hand, deciding that his getting back at Elena would have to wait. He had some fun with Reno to have.

"Where to first?" he asked Reno. The redhead was a little more familiar with the Kalm nightlife than he was.

"Metal Chocobo, yo, right at the edge of town. They play that speed metal shit you love to dance to, and the guy at the door gives free samples o' that X shit that made the bedtime fuck so spectacular last time." He grins widly.

Rude smiled, looking a little more dangerous and driving a little faster than usual. Something about old habits dying hard, he guessed. Back in the day, he was a total speed metal freak, moshing until an actual fight broke out. The little pills though, those were more Reno's thing. Not that Rude hasn't enjoyed them -- and he had IMMENSELY -- he just preferred something a little less touchy feely when he was out to break some skulls.

"They also have the Skull Cracker mixer you like. .you know, that thing that's a mix o' the rum that's almost pure alcohol and Jaegermaster and absinthe altogether? Shit, yo, one o' those would fuck evena SOLDIER up."

The drink so called because you usually FELT like you had a crack in your skull when you woke up the next morning.

When they arrived, Rude cracked his knuckles and shut the car off. He sat for a moment, barely hearing the sound of the music inside, but smiling nonetheless. As much as he denied his past, it was good to relive it every now and again. He exited the car, walking a little cockily towards the door.

Reno put his arm around Rude's waist almost as if DARING one of the patrons to say something.

Rude's hand rested firmly on Reno's backside, his thumb hooked in one of the beltloops. He walked Reno to the far end of the bar, head bobbing a little to the music. Yes, a couple Skull Crackers and he'd be ALL set.

When Rude went to the bar to get their drinks, some whackadoo came and sat next to Reno, whispering in his ear. "Hey, babe. ..what are you doing with a lug like that anyway? You are ENTIRELY too fine to waste your time on a bruiser like that." before sliding his hand up Reno's arm. Reno spluttered in disbelieving fury. ..Rude had his back turned, chances are he hadn't seen the idiot. .. but he stamped his foot on top of the guy's foot HARD with his heeled leather boots, eliciting a cry of pain before he drew his emr out and started swinging at him.

No, Rude hadn't seen it, but he had heard the telltale sound of Reno's battlecry. However, Rude was fully aware that Reno could take care of himself, and ordered them four shots of top shelf tequila, along with a Skull Cracker for him and some bizarre fruity thing that had fog rolling off it for Reno. The redhead had a strange facsination with the most bizarre of drinks.

Reno was doing just fine. ..until the thing turned into a full-scale brawl when a couple of the guy's buddies came over to help him out. Reno was poetry in motion when he fought, and he was giving the guys what for, bodies flying everywhere.

Rude cracked his neck, downing two of the shots and taking down half his drink before a flying body hit his back, making him spill a few drops. He set the glass down gently, turning with a growl and a flying fist. He walked across the fallen guy, stomping down extra hard on his hand and feeling the bones break under his boot. He walked directly into the fight, dodging a few of Reno's errant attacks as he stepped right into motion.

"Shots at the bar," Rude said, pushing Reno towards the bar and taking his place in the middle of the brawl.

He started toward the bar, downed his shot, then headed back out into the brawl, as he did he heard something that sounded like a soft click. .."Uh, partner. ..was that the sound of a safety being turned off?"

He stood back to back with his partner as he said this, his shifty eyes running through the crowd, trying to find the source of that sound. He found it in a way he didn't want when the loud report of a fairly high caliber pistol exploded in front of him. ..he dove in front of his partner and lover, and was flung into him like a rag doll. ..he could hear the bartender calling the local police reporting one of his patrons had a gun.

Where did the shot come from? Rude thought, holding Reno as his eyes darted around the room. There. Over by the band. The small guy with the stupid grin that spoke of too much alcohol and too few brains. Rude gently set Reno down, then ran at the guy with the gun, tackling him into the stage.

Reno attempted to push himself to his feet, blood pouring from high on the left side of his chest, high enough that most vital organs were likely to have been undamaged, settling himself onto the stool with a pained grimace. .. waiting for the cops to arrive and with it likely medical personnel. He held a hand to the wound, trying to staunch the blood the best he could, though even now his face was going a dim waxy color that spoke of encroaching shock.

Rude slammed the guy with the gun's hand down until he heard the bones crack and watched the gun skitter away as it was dicarded. Rude hauled his arm back, then punched the guy across the nose.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" he snarled, caught up in the moment. "You don't." He punched him again, feeling his nose break. "Bring a gun." Another punch, knocking out several teeth. "To a bar fight." A last punch, followed by a headbutt that rendered the guy unconscious.

The bartender looked up as Rude approached after knocking the guy senseless. "He did this to another gay couple that came into the place 6 months ago, too, though he fortunatly missed the guy he was aiming at."

"As for his friend, he hits up the guys that come in here coupled, drugs them, and most of those are never seen again. Your friend was smart to turn him down."

"Excuse me," Rude said to the bartender, turning to see that yes, there was a guy crouched over the unconscious gunman. "That him?" At the bartender's nod, Rude stalked back over. He picked the guy up, giving him no chance to say anything more complicated than "HEY!" before he slammed him into his knee, the joint pressing hard and breaking several ribs.

The guy sputtered, reaching into his pocket in a swift motion he brought out his own pistol, aiming it straight at a point between Rude's eyes "Put me down if you want to live. ..'cause once I've put a bullet through your skull I'll go back and finish the job. .. after I've had a little fun fucking him first.

Reno was shot, that much he knew, and there was no sane way he could think of to get that gun out of his face. Unless...

A slow, sadistic smile broke across Rude's face. He lowered the guy a little until the pistol was at lip level. Slowly, very slowly, he leaned a little forward until his lips touched the barrel.

"Make it count," he said, licking the tip of the gun's barrel.

The guy began pulling back the trigger.. .until Reno in a flurry of adrenaline charged motion came up behind the guy, his emr tagging him in the back of the skull. ..delivering a furious shock that felled the guy, and wouldn't you know the switch chose just that moment to come completely off, causing a short which delivered Reno a healthy shock as well. He could only be thankful as darkness swallowed him whole that he hadn't had the thing on high.

A little voice in the back of Rude's head mentioned that he was still alive, even after a gunshot... not to the head. To the shoulder. He'd seen the flurry of red hair and heard the sound of the electromag rod, which would have caused the guy to spasmatically pull the trigger. However, as Rude fell backwards and a blossom of red bloomed almost unnoticable on his black shirt, he wondered just where the redhead had gone.

As he fell he would see Reno on the laying on the floor on his back, still twitching from the shock the now useless weapon had dealt him, though it had done him the favor of pretty much cauterizing the gunshot wound as it had hit his chest when he had fallen, which had considerably slowed down his blood loss.

Rude frowned. All he could hear was his heartbeat in his ears. He looked over at Reno, noticing offandedly that they had matching gunshot wounds. How cute.

"Sir?" a voice broke through the beating sound above him. "Sir? Are you okay?"

Rude wanted to tell him that yes, actually, he was peachy, but instead he focused on the pair of people that were hauling Reno onto a gurney. The week just kept getting better and better.

Reno finally stopped twitching with a low, almost gutteral moan. ..his green eyes flying open he began trying to fight the emts, his brain at the moment utterly scrambled by the electricity which had zipped through him. .. he could feel his heart thudding in a disordered manner, another after-effect of the jolt.

Rude was a little busy with the nausea the paramedic was causing him. Seems the man decided it was in Rude's best interest to have the bullet fished out of his flesh on the barroom floor. The combination of pain and liquor were not mixing well with his stomach.

"sir, sir, calm down, please!" One of the paramedics was discovering just how strong the slender ingenue was as they tried to keep him from hurting himself further. "Where's my poartner, dammit!" He yelled as another one pinned his arms and yet another one started removing the bullet which was shifting around inside the wound with his struggles. "Fuck you're hurting me! Stop, stop God dammit"  
m "He's right here," the paramedic that was working on Rude called. He had almost worked the metal slug out.

Rude's stomach convulsed, causing a dry heave, followed by the contents of his stomach splashing onto the bar's floor. His head was spinning a little, and all he could think about, other than the pain, was getting away from his own vomit. Only rockstars and drug addicts got their own vomit on them. Oh, and invalids, too, but Rude wasn't thinking about those.

The Reno suddenly went silent. ..that was a bad sign typically. ...only when in physical or emotional pain was Reno normally quiet, but when accompanied by the shouts of paramedics and the bustle of medicine bags and the sound of one yelling "Clear!" definately not good.

Clear? Yes, Rude would like someone to both clear themselves from his bullet wound and clear away the vomit that seemed to have taken on flanlike properties and was trying to attack him with stench.

"Got it!" the paramedic shouted joyfully.

Rude was relieved. There was no longer anyone digging around under his skin like some kind of parasite, which did wonders for his condition. However, the smell of his own vomit caused him to retch again, dry heaving as nothing was left in his stomach.

Reno's body jerked silently as the paddles were applied. .. the nice jolt from the weapon combined with the blood loss had caused ihs blood pressure to plummet to the point where those irregular beats had become dangerously so. . if Rude happened to look over at that moment they would see his form settling, the partner of the one not wielding the paddles swiftly reaching in to check for a pulse, then shaking his head as the one with the life-saving implement yelled Clear again and dropped the paddles down.

"Take it easy, sir," the paramedic told Rude. "I'm going to apply a mid-level recovery spell to aid the healing and prevent infection."

Rude was rather glad of the current days. Back when he first started as a Turk, paramedics weren't equipped with materia or potions, making the loss of life more prevalent, especially in rural areas. However, now all paramedics were equipped with a recovery materia and two potions each, and they were trained to use them.

After a third application of the paddles a soft coughing sound could be heard. ..one that indicated they had finally gotten some sort of deccent pulse, the lithe redhead stable enough to treat finally. in a tiny, squeaky voice he whispered "Rude. ..shit can't see. . .why can't I see?"

Just for good measure, Rude retched again, a little bit of stomach acid joining the previous vomit on the floor. It got Rude to thinking...

"How many people have vomited on this floor?" he asked no one in particular.

However, Reno's voice finally made its way to his ears. "Reno," he said, voice sounding rather worn out. "Open your eyes."

He'd see that they were open, but severaly bloodshot, some of it pooling across the the irsies, tinting the green a wierd color. .probably from the shock and then having had the paddles used on him to revive him. "Calm down sir, as soon as the blood clears itself your vision will return."

mRude looked at Reno, looked at the paramedics, then looked over at the bartender.

"I think I need another drink," he said flatly.

"I'm not tellin' ANYONE about this. ..an' someone get our drinks off the bar please, shit. .fuckin' a it hurts. .."

"Would you like us to take you to the hospital, sir?" the paramedic asked Rude as he helped the bald man stand.

Rude didn't hesitate. He turned to the bartender. "I would like a flaming redheaded slut." He'd had more than enough with hospitals in the past week. If he was good enough to stand and drink, not nessisarily in that order, he was good enough not to be admitted to the hospital.

"Ya got me, yo, just as soon as they get me patched the resta the way up."

"Sir, you really should-"

"I don't give a flying Wutain slut what I should do."

"But you had to be revived sir."

"Like I said, I don't fucking care, I've seen ENOUGH of the inside of a hospital ward this past week, I ain't fuckin' dyin' anymore, cast the fucking spell and let me the fuck alone."

The bartender handed Rude the flaming shot, muttering about it being on the house. Rude raised it in the general direction of Reno, then downed it.

Wow. That hit the spot. Every empty spot of his stomach, in fact.

Reno in the meanwhile winced as the damn paramedic fussed over him a while longer then finally cast the spell and left him alone. "I'll take a flamin' fag, yo! No, make that two."

That previous slow, sadistic smile crossed Rude's face. The shot had given him more mental clarity, and he looked over at the pair of unconscious gunmen.

"That can be arranged, partner"  
M Reno laughed then winced. "Shit yo. ..was I really. .." He didn't complete the sentence, simply downed the drink the bartender brought over with a soft shudder.

Rude wasn't entirely sure. He'd been a little out of sorts while the liquor and the pain were swirling about in his head and stomach. He just grunted in response, picking up his half empty Skull Crusher.

The paramedic passed them both medical releases, Reno muttering "The boss is really gonna love this" when he noticed his gave a recommend for a week leave on it.

We're here because we're already on a week's leave, Reno," Rude mentioned, taking a drink from his beverage and shuddering slightly. Ah, that's where all the alcohol settled to. 


	9. Chapter 9

Reno nodded woozily "Oh yeah. .." His face was still that pale, sallow shade, but his color was beginning to return a little, he knew if Rude had known the full extent he might have been a bit moore hesitant about Reno going home, but no, he wasn't going to say anything. He'd had arrests during missions before and bounced right back afterward without a hospital stay, thank you very much, and he could do it now. He did wince at the soreness of the newly magic-healed flesh and debated staying and drinking a bit more or going home, and trying to decide who was more fit to drive them home, or should he call Rufus and have him send Elena and Tseng to pick them up and take the car back.

Whew. Rude shook his head. The last of that drink went down a little harder than he anticipated. Maybe he needed a little food in his stomach...? Nah. It'd been a long time since Rude had gotten completely wasted, not that he planned on it. It was more of a 'Reno should drive' thought as he eyed the drink he'd purchased for the redhead.

"You drinking that?" he asked, nodding to the concoction that still had fog rolling off its rim.

"Yeah, need ta take the edge off tha pain a little, yo. Magic's all well an' good for knockin' tha shit outta people, and it's also good for when other care's not around, but magic healed wounds PULL, yo!"

With a grunt, Rude nodded towards the bartender, gesturing with his hands for another four shots of tequila and another of his death-by-alcohol-poisoning drinks.

Reno sat and drank his drink in silence, his mind going a million places at once, something not usually typical of him, but Hell, how many times does he nearly DIE 3 times in a week?

Rude was feeling pleasantly intoxicated. Not drunk, but there was a pleasant buzz thrumming through his head. He reached out, pulling Reno's barstool closer to him. He then pulled a shot over, gesturing towards the bartender for the salt shaker and a few lemon wedges.

Reno also finally managed to attain a pleasent buzz, and pulled out his own private box, it had what few of the illicit intoxicants that could actually be flushed before they did a urine check. No more needles, but he did have a few grams of coke and one or two of the mako rocks. This place swam with dealers so one or two tweakers were never taken much notice of. He hadn't even touched the box in over a year, but this had been a crazed week.

He then downed the shot as well. He liked the Mako rock because it made him feel like he was able to take on a galian beast with no trouble, wonderful in case he wanted to start another fight or to deal with people like the bastard who had hit on him.

Rude raised an eyebrow for two reasons. The first: he thought Reno'd gotten rid of that box. However, he couldn't bring himself to say anything, especially with the way the week had gone thus far. The second: cocaine had always been, and will always be, his drug of choice. True, he was more of a dabbler now, only partaking maybe once or twice a year, if that. However, he found himself unconsciously eying the two little plastic baggies. Not that he would ask for a line or two. Rude made it a point to make sure Reno wasn't aware of his taste for the substance.

Instead, Rude picked up one of the lemon wedges and carefully placed it rind-first at Reno's lips.

When the redhead bit down, he gently tilted Reno's head to the side, licking his neck before shaking the salt shaker over the moisture. That done, he lifted his shot, making a toasting motion towards Reno before he licked the salt from his neck, downed the shot, then pressed his lips to the lemon wedge.

Reno gladly included himself in this tradition, anything to get a chance to have his mouth and other body parts on his partner. ..he pulled out a baggie, pouring out four lines and taking out two straws, lofting a brow. Again, there was very little Reno DIDN'T know about his partner. "Ya know they're not doin' checks for three more weeks, even if they can find facilities to do so, and it's unlikely considering how nasty this week has been not only for us but for the entire planet that we'd get more'n a slap on the wrist anyway."

"How did you...?" Rude asked. His body was moving completely unconsciously, muscle memory taking over as his hands pulled the largest gil bill out of his pocket and rolling it into a tube. Old habits, when they didn't die hard, never died at all.

"I saw ya eyein' the baggies, I',more observant than even YOU give me credit for." He smirks slightly, inhaling the first line with the relish only a tweaker could display.

Rude licked his pinky finger, touching the tip of it to one of the lines before putting it into his mouth. He shuddered, something Rude never did, smaking his lips a few times.

"Good shit," He said, already feeling his tongue starting to numb. It bothered him that he didn't even realize he'd bumped the line until after the fact, when he was rubbing the tip of his nose with his hand. It bothered him more how easily, and unconsciously, he'd dropped back into old habits.

"You're a bad influence," he muttered, shaking his head before taking a drink from his glass.

"I know, partner, and you're a good one, and yeah, prob'ly should throw this thing away. but Hell, The boss has some good shit. .. he don't mind if ya tweak a little as long's ya maintain and don't go apeshit and od before a mission, his druga choicie is the mako rock. ..bet ya didn't figure that's how he got the eyes, did ya? Ya Hojo messed with him 'smuch as he did with us, but he had the eyes even before that, from what somea the others have told me. I like the shit too, but only if I'm gonna be bustin' more heads. ..X and coke are m'choices if I'm gonna be ravin'. ..which I have every intention on doin' now."

Interesting what things came from people who'd nearly died more than one every day of the week and it wasn't even Friday. He did the other line without another comment, deciding that he could write it all off to his conscience as a moment of weakness that could be later atoned for.

"Don't like mako rock," he said, turning to Reno and smiling. It wasn't Rude usual smile; it was more of a smile he'd had when they'd first met, back in their seedier days. It was one part amusement, one part confidence, one part 'don't fuck with me', and three parts 'I get what I want, when I want it'. "Makes me mean... er."

"Nah, you ain't mean, yo. ..well, 'less ya count back when I had my little tantrum n'monday, but I deserved that"  
m "You've never seen me tweaked on mako," he said, reaching out and taking a drink from his glass. The taste made his twitch a little, mixing with the numbing taste of the cocaine. He took a quick assessment of their conditions. "Guess we're not going anywhere else tonight, eh?" he asked, a slight slur making its presence known once.

"Nah, they got the best mosh pit on the eastern continant anyway, yo."

And with that he was slithering through the crowd, he was most certainly feeling no pain at the moment, and even with the blood on his clothes he looked good. His hips swaying in that indulgant and idolant manner they had when he was pleasently buzzed. He idly wondered if the boss had been tweaked out on the rock the time he'd done the redhead a fair amount of damage with that nasty temper he always held below the surface. Rude didn't know about that,and he'd be damned if he'd tell him, due to how protective he was, and the last thing he needed was him cashing in chips that were almost 6 years old now.

Yes, yes Reno did. And with the earlier mess cleaned up -- when did that happen? -- things were picking up at the bar. In fact, it was rather bumping. He watched Reno dance, something he rather enjoyed more than he would usually admit. There was a certain grace to the klutzy redhead at times, a grace that always ended up making Rude's pants feel a little too tight. As the alcohol and cocaine mixed in his bloodstream, Rude found himself leaning against the bar, smoking a cigarette, watching his partner with open-faced desire, and not giving a fuck who saw him.

"Get your hands off me, yo!" Reno's yell could be heard from across the bar, it was common knowledge to about all Shinra employees that the lanky Turk didn't like to be casually touched, something someone from outside the company wouldn't figure from how much he touched everyone else. The kid in question looked like he couldn't have been much more than 17, tall, even skinnier than Reno if that was possible, with a long, silky fall of silver hair and eyes that had a mako glow so bright he looked like his circulation was more mako than blood.

The cocktail in his bloodstream stopped Rude's usual response of assessing the situation, then kicking some ass. He was stalking over towards whomever had touched Reno with an obvious purpose of snapping him in half. HE was the only one allowed to touch the redhead, casually or otherwise.  
Michael TW Kelley: The slender teen sneered. ..this man had NO idea who he was messing with. ..none at all. No, he and his brothers had not made themselves fully public yet, and they would not unlil all plans were laid. . .which would likely take a year or two. But he had no problem with coming into some of the more out of the way places to pick up some rock every once in a while. Then he'd seen the redhead, the slender, pretty redhead with the bright green eyes that also had a glow of mako to them, and something slipped into place. He wanted this delicious looking boy, oh yes did he.

With a snarl of "Mine," Rude grabbed Reno and pulled him against his chest, letting the redhead still face his offender. Rude's hand splayed over Reno's lower abdomen, dangerously close to groping, indicating by tone, word, and body language just who the redhead was going home to fuck. He stared definantly at the silver-haired boy.

Yazoo snarled back, yanking Reno out of Rude's arms with a force hard enough to nearly break them. .fuck, the kid was strong. ..almost too strong for that tiny body. . then Rude would remember rumors of them using Jenova enhancement on a few kids a few years back to the point where very little of THEIR DNA was still there.

Reno looked torqued, but he knew there was no way in HELL he was getting out of this kid's grasp unless he could take him off guard.

Rude cracked his neck and knuckles. "You wanna take it outside, bitch?" A brawler. He'd always been labeled as such: a brawler, a bruiser, a musclehead. Usually, he preferred to prove people wrong, instead giving off an air of quiet, cool reserved strenght. However, with everything from the week's evens to the drugs he'd just taken mixing in strange combinations in his system, he decided it was a good time to let what people thought of him be how he reacted.

Yazoo answered by giving Reno a kiss that damn near cut off his oxygen supply, then sneering back at the bald man. "Oh, this is your property, is it? " He then groped the slender redhead.

Reno after Yazoo had done that started struggling almost mindlessly, to which Yazoo responded with a punch to his jaw. .. That was that. ..the last bit of damage neccessary to send him up and over the wall and into limit. His skin began to glow a bit with a slight green color, crackling electricity lighting his skin in a bright aura.

Rude chuckled darkly, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender and stepping back. This was going to be good.

With a roar he let loose in a flurry of kicks and punches,electricity crackling around each limb. . .with each strike a bolt spell would be cast directly into the opponant, the level depending on how much reserve Reno still had left. In this case it was bolt 3, the alcohol and the cocaine having pumped his reserves to full. He layed into the silver haired youth with unbeliavable force, sending him flying back into a wall, laying against it twitiching. ..Reno's blood still buzzed but he knew when he crashed from his limit state, he'd do it HARD, limit breaks used up a LOT of energy.

Rude just stood back and watched, his eyes occassionally flashing behind his sunglasses and the tightness in his jeans occassionally twitching. Watching Reno in motion always got him worked up, more so with his current state.

"Anyone else want some, yo?" He watched everyone back off ecept the big black guy that ran with Cloud's gang. ..what was his name? Oh yeah, Barret.

Rude was most certainly not feeling like himself. Or, more accurately, he was feeling like the himself of his teenage years. He stalked towards Reno, purpose in every step. Once he reached the redhead, he pulled him tight against his body and claimed his lips, thrusting his tongue forcefully into Reno's mouth and grinding his hips against him. The marking of territory was evident to anyone with eyes.

Barret quirked a bit of a smirk. "I'm not here to lay claim to you or your boytoy, Turk. ..if I did anything with either of ya it'd be something totally different. and I would like nothin' more than to empty my gun arm into both of you right now."

He lifted said arm, the glint of vengeful fury in those dark eyes evident. "He destroyed my home, killed almost everyone but my daughter that I give a damn about, an' she'd be dead too if Aeris hadn't gotten her out. Neither of you deserve to breathe the air, but he's even worse. . .he LAUGHED while he pushed that button."

Rude saw the change come over Reno, a change he knew very, very well. Instead of holding in a gesture of possession, Rude changed his grip to hold Reno back.

Reno was not to be held back, though. ..the lightening still racing over his form as his fury pumped his reserves into overload. ..his eyes narrowed in the sort of fury one very rarely saw from him. He yanked himself free from Rude's arms and with a loud roar DOVE at Barret, very much intent on tearing the man limb from limb with his bare hands right at the moment. But instead he gave Barret enough of a shock to stun him for a few moments. "You listen, and you listen good, you stupid muscleheaded, shoot first ask questions later fuck. . .You think I WANTED to kill everyone I'd ever known prior to donning the blue suit? Well fuck you! I laughed because it was that or lose my fucking mind! They were going to force me to KILL my own partner if I didn't follow thieir orders. Use your fucking eyes and brain before you pass judgement, asshole!" he then got up, curling into his partner.

Rude was... well, shocked would have been an understatement. Reno didn't talk about the plate dropping, and Rude didn't ask, figuring it was something the redhead needed to work out himself.

Reno shuddered as he leaned against Rude's chest, finally beginning to come down out of limit, which on the one or two occasions he had hit he had come down with shaking limbs and the last time when he had gone all out he had passed out and been unconscious for a full day afterward while his reserves recovered. His eyes flickered open and closed in a way that indicated it might be the case here, the aura dying off. He'd shocked himself with his outburst too, but then again he was always freer with his speech in that state, Now though. ..now he was crashing.

Rude shot Barret a look that said if the man wanted to continue harassing Reno, he would have to go through Rude first. He carefully helped Reno back to the bar, ordering him another drink. A little alcohol never hurt after the crash.

"You okay?" he asked.

Reno nodded but his eyes rolled back and he fell off the stool, passed completely out

Barret turned and began to stride out "Unlike you Turks, I don't attack a man when he's weakened."

Rude checked Reno, making sure that he'd just passed out, not passed away. It was becoming something he worried about more as the week progressed.

"Guess that's calling it a night," he muttered, collecting their things, hefting Reno into his arms like he were carrying his bride over the threshold, and walking out the door after a nod to the bartender.

Elena met them in the hallway as they came back in, she'd been getting Em a glass of water, the glass hit the ground, shattering in slow motion as she saw the two, bloodied, with Reno draped across Rude's arms bonelessly dangling. she let out a cry of startlement.

"No worries, Elena," Rude said, nodding thankfully as the girl opened the door to their room for him. He set Reno carefully on the bed, then watched as she stood in the doorway, question in her eyes. "We gave better than we got." Rude yawned, the cocaine buzz finally leaving him as the drowsiness of the alcohol took over. "See you in the morning." With that, not waiting for the girl to close the door and leave, he pulled his shirt over his head.

Elena nodded, but she tossed one more worried glance at her redhaired compatriot as she closed the door. Reno always had a tendency to overdo.

Rude stretched, most of the earlier feelings gone to reveal his normal demeanor. He looked down at Reno's sprawled form and felt a twinge of lust between his legs. MOST of them feelings were gone. Too bad Reno was out cold. With that thought, Rude finished stripping and laid down on the bed next to his partner, his hand gently fisting his arousal.

Even passed out he whimpered. the arousal from the cocaine and the use of his limit break obvious. . .unfortunatly he didn't have the enrgy to wake up. ..he was going to FEEL it in the morning.

He couldn't take advantage of his unconscious partner, regardless of how much he really, really wanted to. Instead, Rude turned to face Reno, tightening his grip on himself as he watched the redhead whimper and squirm slightly, as if someone were holding him down and teasing him mercilessly.

Reno begin writhing against him, the whimpering becoming more pronounced. he felt like he was out in the middle of space somewhere, stuck with his own arousal and nameless faces. ..his cock grinding into the bed and against the leather. ..some things even while not cognizant didn't change.. .he'd had to be drugged comatose not to take such actions when he was THIS hard.

Rude groaned, his still slightly addled brain finding Reno's helpless looking state rather nice to look at. Rather nice indeed. Add to that the whole image the outfit provided, mixed with a few of Rude's 'one night stand' fantasies and he knew, cocaine or not, he was going to be hard for at least an hour.

Reno with one last squirming whimper made it obvious what had happened as a light stain of white leaked out of the leg of the leather pants. ..Yes, Rude may hate changing the sheets, but he didn't care at the moment.

Rude groaned loudly, his hand clenching around himself as he watched Reno. The redhead was beautiful, always. However, with those clothes... Rude had a fantasy about he and Reno meeting in a bar, as if the two of them had never met before in their lives, getting to know eachother's bodies with casual, flirting touches until they went back to a hotel room for a 'guilt free, one night stand.' Don't get him wrong, Rude loved Reno with all his heart, but he was a man, and sometimes he liked to fuck without all the lovey stuff, just for the sake of fucking. Not that he'd tell Reno that, unless the redhead asked.

As his eyes fold open they are glassy, muzzy, as they always are after such an experience. "Rude?"

Rude groaned. The way Reno said his name, even if Rude weren't already hard, he would have been in an instant.

"Have a nice dream?" he asked, rolling himself onto the redhead and pressing their hips together.

Reno grunted "Guess I did, m'll sticky, yo."

"I know," Rude said, still keeping their hips in line. He wanted nothing more than to just grind against Reno until his seed splashed on the redhead's pants as well. But he knew that were he to try in Reno's still slightly disoriented state, he was likely to both mentally/emotionally scar his partner, but also possibly make him flip.

Reno wrapped himself around Rude now. .once he'd awakened from a crash his libido was nearly limitless

Rude moaned, loving the feel of his partner pressed against him. He grabbed Reno, rolling them over so the redhead lay on top of Rude.

"Strip," he commanded, pausing for a moment before adding. "But leave the face chain."

Reno did what he asked, his head still spinning while his nose was full of the musky, wonderfully sweet scent of his partner.And as soon as all of his plans came to fruition. ..his husband. He smiled softly, just thinking about tying himself to someone like Rude for life made his loins tingle even more.

Rude looked at Reno, really looked at him. He had to admit that the redhead really was truly beautiful from a shallow, looks-only standpoint. Not that Rude didn't think Reno was beautiful on the inside, but at the moment, his erection housed his brain. Rude could see why his partner got so many more-than-casual looks whenever they went... well, anywhere. A soft moan fell from his lips as he felt the smooth skin of his lover shifting above him.

Reno simply used his own semen to lube himself. ..first tasting it, yes teasing, lips tilting in a sensuous manner. once he had done that he simply made sure there were no barriers in his way and drove himself onto Rude's length without stretching himself at all with a roar of arousal. . .one would never know such a large sound could come from such a slender body. ..after just a few moments he was moving, . his body completely taking over, no taking it slow this time, he sought completion with something bordering on starvation..

All Rude could do was hang on for the ride... and watch. He loved watching Reno more than anything, watching his partner eat, sleep -- not so much, as sometimes he got bored -- and most of all, fuck. Reno was a being of pure sensuality, consciously or unconsciously, Rude wasn't sure, putting on a visual show just as much as a physical one.

He choked out Rude's name with his head thrown back, his face twisted into an expression of ecstacy that was so damn lovely to see, eyes half-closed, neck extended like a swan's, the pulse there fast, making the veins within stand out and twitch, his breath coming in hissing gasps and soft "o" sounds of pleasure as the magic button got slid over with every thrust. ..he reached back to cup Rude's balls with his fingers, steadying himself with the other hand, he would be able to see the muscles in the lean frame rippling with every movement.

Rude grabbed Reno's hips, so close to release he felt as if he could reach out and touch it. He thrust forcefully into the redhead, knowing his fingers were leaving bruises, marring that unmarked skin.

That was enough to throw him over, his face relaxing into that sweet, innocent, blissed out expression that was only achieved after a night of drinking, use of illicit substances and busting heads. He shuddered there above Rude for several long moments. ..body tensing and relaxing until he finally screamed out sharply as he spilled his seed on his own belly and then swayed dizzily. ..but he held there, not falling.

Watching Reno's orgasm was the catalyst that sent Rude barrelling over the edge as well. He cried out sharply, holding Reno onto him as he twitched inside him. After a few more twitches, he pulled himself from his lover and helped him lay on the bed.

Reno's eyes fluttered for several long moments, as he steadied himself. ..trying to catch his breath. . .."m'sorry I almost got us killed. .Hell, not jus' once but twice. ..silver haired bastard. ..shit."

Rude decided not to point out that Reno'd almost got him killed rather frequently, moreso over the past week. Probably not the best idea if he ever wanted to get laid again. Rude just settled on a shushing noise.

A scream sounded from next door, high, sharp, most definatly Elena's. That set Reno immediatly on alert.

All Rude wanted to do was pull the covers over his head and ignore the scream. He also wanted to ignore the fact that he was still hard, even though he knew it was the cocaine that did it. Elena's scream, though, could've been anything from a spider on the wall to an attack. Better to be safe than sorry.

Rude stood, grumbling as he wobbled just a little in his attempt to put his boxers back on.

As Reno entered the door he saw the boss on his knees with his eyes screwed up in agony, black ooze leaking from the back of his left hand and from his forehead into his hair, Tseng doing everything he could to comfort him.

A small voice in the back of Rude's head mentioned that seeing the President in such a state WAS a really good way to kill an erection. Rude's eyes sought out Tseng with unerring efficiency.

"Sir?" he asked, unsure of what was happening.

Tseng's face was strained...this was how it had happened with the children left in the destroyed city's streets. ..a few who had died within days of showing the first symptoms. ..

Rude didn't know what to do, and his brain was having a hard time keeping up with the alcohol in his system.

"Have you tried materia?" he asked, knowing that, with Tseng, he had probably already gone through all available healing methods.

"Yes. ..it's like the children we saw on the way in. .."

Rude had written the mysterious illness off as an unfortunate childhood disease... like chicken pox.

Rude knelt next to the President, trying to assess what was happening.

Rufus's eyes finally opened as the last of the fit ended, the bruises had stopped oozing and he lifted himself back into his wheelchair, adjusting his clothing.

"Sir?" Rude asked. "Are you... all right?"

It was strange, seeing the most powerful man in the world brought to his knees by a mysterious disease.

"Yes, yes, I am now, thank you." His tone was shaky, but beginning to regain some of its former command.

Elena spoke up, still visably shaken. "What... what was that, sir?

Tseng exchanged a glance with her, then she would remember the children in the city streets. ..

Rude stood, moving to stand by Reno. He placed his arm around the redhead. If the President could get this illness, what was stopping it from spreading to them?

Reno nodded, he knew what Rude was thinking, but they couldn't just abandon him.

Rufus cleared his throat. "Gentlemen," he looked over at Elena. "Lady." He paused, making sure he had their full attention. "I believe it is time for sleep. I will try not to have another attack and wake you all before morning. Elena, perhaps you should room with Reno and Rude."

"Are you sure they won't mind?"

"Laney, as insatiable as I normally am, I think I can hold out for one night."

Rude blushed. Sex talk. In front of their employer. Big no-no there.

Rufus chuckled. "I believe Rude will keep anything horrible from happening to you, Elena." Then, waving with his hand, he shooed them out of the room.

Tseng meanwhile began to dress him for bed. .. his face screwed up in worry. This was something only HE would ever be allowed to do. .sonething he'd done since Rufus was a young boy, because his mother had already been 2 years dead by then and his father did nothing but the making sure the boy was fed and bathed and taught.

Rude, knowing that Tseng and Rufus needed alone time, put an arm around Reno's shoulder and his other around Elena's. He escorted both of them back to his and Reno's room.

"What did you two DO in here?" she asked, face wrinkling at the overwhelming sex smell.

Reno chuckled "Well, we could show ya,but Rude's awful shy. ..Though I can get the tape o' the room after that meeting last month."

Oh yes, trust Reno to have those surveillance tapes backed up on disc. ..

"Reno!" Rude chided, going about trying to clean up their mess from earlier, along with trying to find a way to sleep Elena in the room without getting a cot or something.

" 'snot like she can't tell, ya know. .." He yawned sleepily, this time normal need to sleep instead of crashing from the use of his limit.

"I know that she knows what we do..." Rude started.

"Um, yeah. We heard you. Several times," Elena interrupted.

Reno headed for the bathroom, changing into the long pajama bottoms he wore to bed when other people were around, leaving his chest with the barely-healed gunshot wound exposed, moving his stiff arm around a few times he winced as it pulled at the tight tissue there.

Rude had succeeded in cleaning off the bed, still flustered. Once that was done, he pulled on his pair of black sweat pants over his boxers. Two layers were better than one.

"Oh, and you should be ashamed of yourself, Reno Tarshil, for not letting the doctors take you in, I have half a mind to tell Rufus you insisted coming back after having a cardiac arrest at the damn ba!"

Reno flushed red. ..it should figure Elena would have seen the paperwork, after all one of them had to sign off on it, and Elena more often than not was the one who ended up with the paperwork.

Rude sat on the bed, feeling a little ashamed himself for not wanting Reno to go to the hospital... again. He was just tired of seeing the insides of the damn buildings. A week of ins and outs would do that to you.

"Dammit, Laney, now I'll never hear the damn end of it! I just. .shit, I'da gone batshit bein' back in that place after. . ." and he quieted as Corneo's name nearly came to his lips again. ..there were some memories he didn't have the mental strength to relive yet.

"And he should give you Hell! You know how much you mean to all of us, ESPECIALLY Rude! If it had been me I would have ripped you a damn new one! Tseng wouldn't do something so stupid!"

"Elena," Rude said, his voice indicating that the girl should stop talking and listen to him. "Reno is just as tired of hospitals as I am. I understand why he didn't want to go. But that's HIS decision to make."

"He could have DIED there! hell, according to the report for five minutes he techinically WAS and if he hadn't spent 4 years of his life tweaking on that mako rock, he WOULD be!"

"We're Turks," Rude said, as if that explained everything. "Death is part of the job description."

He really didn't want to talk about Reno being technically dead for any length of time, nor did he really care to hear another lecture from the blonde mother hen.

Reno slammed his way into the bathroom, HE didn't want to think about what it would have done to Rude if they hadn't been able to bring him back, either. .with a roar of frustrated rage he punches the shower wall, the water wasn't running, he was just sitting in the stall. . .

When Elena tried to stand and follow Reno, Rude was already ahead of her and tossed back a commanding, "Sit." to the girl. He entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him and just looking at Reno. Where to start? Where to start?  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno was breathing heavily, cursing himself for the million types of idiot he'd been that night. ..punching the walls until his knuckles bled.

"It won't do any good not to talk about it," Rude said, leaning against the small sink in the bathroom, folding his arms across his chest.

"Stupid, so damn stupid yo! I don't even wanna think about. . .shit about what it would do to you. ..an'. ..FUCK!" he punched the wall again, throwing his red bangs out of his face in a flustered manner.

"That's no excuse to take it out on the wall," he pointed out, his tone even.

Rude knew exactly what they were talking about. However, instead of worrying about it, he chose to ignore the thought that Reno could die in favour of thinking about the living Reno. Dying was, as Rude was sure both he and Reno were well aware, part of being a Turk.

"Glad you can be so damn fuckin' calm all the time. ..Hell, YOU almost did, too. .." He KNEW he wouldn't have lived through it if the guy had succeeded in nailing Rude in the head like he'd originally planned. ..Rude and knowing how he would have drawn into himself again like he had been when they'd first met is a lot of what had helped him fight to come back. Whereas Reno would probably just have followed him, Rude would have stayed on. . .but he would have withdrawn, never have given his heart to anyone again for fear of being hurt again.

Rude really fought the urge to get snappy, really he did. However, after nearly dying more times than he cared to count and generally having the Shittiest Week Ever, he didn't fight for very long.

"Maybe you should try it sometime," He snapped, reigning himself back and keeping his calm pose and tone. "In case you forgot, you're a Turk. I'm a Turk. We both knew getting into this just what could be the worst case scenario."

He looked up at Rude, face showing shocked hurt for just a few moments, then he got up and walked out, looking back for just one moment. "You knew what you were getting into with me, too. .."

Oh yes, there was the good cap off to the shittiest week ever. ..having the one person you love enough to lay your life down for tryinng to tell you that you aren't good enough for them just the way you are.

"Reno!" Rude yelled, turning to follow the redhead but stopping. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. "Goddammit!" He yelled, trying his hardest not to punch through anything in the hotel. He stormed towards Elena, trying to keep his voice even as he spoke to her. "Elena," he said. "I need you to find my redheaded IDIOT and bring him back here, please. If I go look for him, I might just strangle him. So could you? Please?"

"Let me guess. ..he misinterpreted something you said like he sometimes does. .."

"Like he ALWAYS does," Rude mumbled, sitting down on the bed forcefully, placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Could you just... I don't want to make it worse," he finished, looking pleadingly at the blonde.

"Allright. ." She strode outside to find him sitting on his bottom with a smoke in his hand, looking almost FORLORN.

"Laney dammit. ..please just leave me be. ..it's been a shitty fucking week, and the last thing I need is someone else forgetting that just because we're Turks doesn't mean losing someone we care about doesn't hurt."

Elena sat down next to him, taking his cigarette from his hand, taking a drag from it before replacing it in the redhead's hand.

"But Reno..." she said. "You DIDN'T lose him. Rude's in there beating himself up because he didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yeah, well I manage to hurt HIM all the time. ..I want so much. ..for things I'll never have because this is all either of us know how to be. And. ..well fuck. ..Nothin's permenant, right? Why do you think the boss an' Rude were my first relationships that lasted past a week tops?"

"You and... Tseng?" Elena asked. Being the newest Turk, she wasn't caught up on all the office gossip yet.

"Nope. ..me and the BOSS boss. ..hell Tseng would kill me if we ever. "Ít was before he and Tseng got hot n' heavy o'course."

"Oh..." Elena said, then looked directly at Reno, shock evident on her face "What?"

"You didn't know me n' Rufus. .." He chuckles lightly now. "Was 6 years ago, an' the breakup was kinda nasty.

He lifts his bangs to show a tiny scar just above his right eye. "That's a souvaneir o' the breakup. If Rude knew he'd be pissed, so I ain't tellin' him. ..it was just after I joined."

Elena nodded. That was just TOO weird for her tastes. So instead of asking for more details, she chose to go back to what Reno'd said earlier.

"What kinds of things don't you think you'll have with the big guy?" Elena asked. "He'd do anything for you..."

"Family. ..but I ain't askin' 'cause I know how he feels. .. and takin' into account the past week I'm beginnin' ta see his point."

"You already have a family," Elena said gently. Her next words could be taken one of two ways, and she was hoping for the good one. Either he was going to tell her it wasn't what he meant, or he was going to agree with her and things would be okay. "WE'RE your family, more importantly, RUDE'S your family."

Reno just sighs, dropping his smoke to the ground and snuffing it out. "I know. ..but it ain't the same as knowin' someone's there to carry on after you're gone. . .badside of it is leavin' 'em while they still ain't able to fend for themselves. .."

Áin't that I'm afraida dyin'. ..'smore I'm afraida bein' forgotton. ..once you guys are gone. ..whose gonna be around that'll remember who I REALLY was aside from the badass Turk and the Butcher of Sector Seven?"

"Reno..." Elena sighed. "Look, in my family, there's Turks as far back as anyone can remember. BUT, no one looks back at great-great-great aunt Samantha and says 'Oh, she liked her toast with grape jelly.' No. They say, 'Great-great-great Aunt Samantha was a Turk. Her son was a Turk.' and so on and so forth." She sighed again, realizing that she didn't really have a point. "Reno, you can only do what you think is best. And right now, Rude is the best thing for you. You two... complete each other. I couldn't imagine you two NOT being together. Do you understand?" 


	10. Chapter 10

He looked up at her, then shook his head. "He's hidin', 'Lena. BUryin' everything. He doesn't get that I NEED ta talk about it. Need ta chew it up an' throw it away. I usually don't with him because every time I do, he pushes it away 'cause he wants to forget we're all just as mortal as the rest o' the people on this planet, despite the enhancement."

Elena reached into Reno's pocket and pulled out his cigarettes, taking one before handing him back the pack. She wasn't normally more than a casual smoker, but when she needed a moment to think, it was the perfect excuse.

"I know that... and he knows that, too, it's just..." she paused to light the cigarette, then sighed.

"When I don't, shit like this happens. ..or shit like back at the condo." He relates to her the events that had occured. ."An' when he bottles it up, it don't help."

She leaned back, taking a long drag from the cigarette and exhaling fully before continuing. How many times had Rude come to her looking for answers?

"When you bottle it up it doesn't help, either," she said carefully. "He's just... he's scared shitless, Reno. You're the best thing that's happened to him in a long time, and he doesn't want to mess that up."

He shook his head again. "Don't wanna mess it up either, Laney, but I'm scared, too. .scared o doin' somethin' stupid that'll push him away. ..or dyin' on him an' leavin' him all alone. ..'cause ya know if he died, I'd end up not too far behind him, I ain't as strong as he is. But He'd stay on. .. he'd hate it, but he'd take a new partner, but I can guarantee he'd never open himself up again like he did with me."

Elena sat up, making sure she was looking Reno in the eye. It was time to play both sides against the middle... for their own good and her sanity.

"He thinks he has to treat you like glass," she said plainly. "Please don't take offence, but he knows you've had a terrible time growing up, no where near as easy as any of the rest of us. He knows you're... a little emotionally fragile sometimes..." she paused, waiting to see if he was going to fly off the handle at being called the equivalent of delicate.

"I ain't as delicate as he thinks. .shit, I need ta know this shit, or I can't help him. ..an' fuck, who wouldn't be fragile after a week like this one? I know I ain't as calm as he is, But I do my fuckin' damndest to be as strong for him as he is for me. I do my damn job. But he is my stability a lotta the time. . .an' sometimes I feel like I'm draggin' HIM down."

Elena took a quick hit from the cigarette before leaning forward a little further and smiling conspiratorily. "Wanna know a secret?" she asked.

"Yeah, what's that?" He took a hit from his own.

"Rude likes, more than anything, to be needed," she said. Okay, so she knew Reno probably already knew that deep down, but putting a name to something gave it power. "He loves it when you go home and cuddle on the couch after a long mission. He loves it when you let him make you dinner. Hell, he won't ever admit to it, but I think he even likes it when he gets to comfort you," she paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "But the problem with Rude is... he thinks too much. All he wants is to do what's right for you. He's so afraid of messing you up in the head more -- sorry, but you are a little messed up, Reno -- that he's constantly walking on egg shells."

"You think I don't know it, 'Laney? Fuck, I know better than anyone how fucked up I am. .. got a lotta shit in my head locked away like fuckin' skeletons, but they needta come out, and yes, I blow up an' shit when it happens, sometimes I go out an' do somethin' stupid, but with each skeleton that gets dredged out, I'get stronger. You don't hafta tell ME my fuckin' mind's a minefield. ..an' yeah, he's tried ta tell me I should see a shrink before, but what shrink's gonna understand us the way we do each other?"

Elena really didn't want to bring up that she kinda already WAS the group shrink... so she resisted temptation.

"He's not afraid of your skeletons at all, Reno," she said, making sure she caught his eyes. "In fact, he's more terrified of his own coming back to bite him in the ass, but that's another story completely. And he's not afraid of you leaving him, so consider that hurdle jumped. It's more so that he's afraid he's going to..." she paused, trying to find the right words. "In the event that chocobos deep sea dive on Tuesdays and you two do split up, he's... he doesn't want to be another skeleton."

"He's afraid he's gonna blow up an' hurt me. ..is that it? Well, if it didn' happen Monday it ain't gonna. ..he had that demon out full throttle, an' yeah, he scared the fuck outta me when he did. ..but he didn't hit me. An' it taught me more the fact that I could trust him than anythin' else he's ever done has."

Elena had never seen Rude completely out of control... and she wasn't sure she wanted to. She flicked her cigarette out and blew her bangs out of her eyes. She really needed a haircut. "You can trust him all you want, Reno, but that won't always make him trust himself." Wise words, far beyond her years. "So... what did happen on Monday?" She had a feeling the most recent bout of arguements between the two had a beginning somewhere around there, from what she'd gotten out of a pacing Rude.

"It was the night I got taken. ..an. .."He gulped, he wasn't sure how much of his own shit he was ready to unearth, but he did it anyway. "To say the least I was all fucked up in the head anyway. ..an' then Meteor came and we were both sure we were dyin'. ..an ya know how Tseng gets on my fuckin' nerves about how I'm supposed ta be better than he thinks I am. . .well, it really got ta me that night. ..an I said some shit I shouldn't have. .." He stops a moment, taking a shakey drag. "I broke m'promise, Laney... the promise I made him never ta take anything sharp ta myself. ..I broke it. ..an' he unleashed." He tells her word for word what Rude had said to him. "After that, he pinned me ta the wall, an' it's in my psych profile, which I'm sure ya've seen, how bein' held down an' shit Is a trigger for me. . .I went nuts on him, Laney. ..didn't have the fuck's idea what I was doin', but that's no excuse."

"Oh, Reno," she said softly, putting her arm around his shoulders and pulling him into a hug. She knew exactly what had happened after that; Rude had told her in long, drawn out breaths, speaking with his hands like he was known to when he had an intense desire to be completely understood. He'd told her how, when he'd tried to be nice and take Reno's mind off things, Reno had flipped, throwing the glass he'd offered as a peace sign... which, according to Rude, was moreso the catalyst than the cutting had been.

"I fucked up, didn' I? Shit, I fucked up again. .."

"Shh," she said, gently patting the side of his head in that comforting manner her mother used to do for her. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it 'fucked up'... more of a 'bump in the road' really." She pressed a chaste kiss to his temple. "He really does love you, and I know you really love him, so nothing could possibly be 'fucked up' unless something about that love changes for the worse... which it hasn't. In fact, I think he loves you even more, if you want my honest opinion fueled by the all powerful woman's intuition." She smiled, hoping she could get him to do the same.

He nodded. "I just. .I take everything the wrong way, an' I know it pisses him off sometimes. . .thing is in the heata the moment I forget how ta read him sometimes...he ain't the easiest one ta figure out, ya know."

"You just need to remember that he won't ever intentionally hurt you," she said. "And I know he's hard to read... Trust me, I know... but you just need to remember that Rude is Rude, and if you didn't like Rude, you never would have kissed him in the middle of that meeting... or so Tseng tells me." Elena grinned. It was her favourite Reno and Rude togetherness story, and she made sure to get Tseng's, Rufus', AND Rude's side to that story. Maybe she could get Reno's now...?

"We'd been apart for a week, I know you remember that Rude'd been in Wutai for a week huntin' that Ninja that'd been stealin' the materia from every envoy we'd sent. Well, when he came back, they'd been huntin' that ancient, an' they were havin' that meetin' ta plan on how to get her away from Strife. ..I'd been feelin' real lonely, an when I saw him. ..shit, I just couldn't hold back anymore. ..and it was what we did AFTER the meetin' that made me feel so special. .He took me right there on tha tabletop, not carin' really that the Old Man had cameras set up. ..'course, that's what came back ta bite me in tha ass later "

Elena resisted the urge to 'aww' at the story. She really did love that one. She used it as the basis for her theory that 'love really does conquer all'... but she'd never tell anyone that.

"You know what you need?" she asked, mischief in her eyes.

"Aside from a good fuck ta clear m'head?"

"Sorry, tiger, you're barking up the wrong tree," Elena winked, then stood quickly. "Come with me. I've got just the thing to fix EVERYTHING."

Reno got up, following her.

She led him back to the room, where she quickly opened the door, pushed Reno in, and went in herself. Before either of the boys could speak, she did, tone most authorative and demanding obedience.

"You two are going to sit in here and talk about your problems," she said, blocking the door so neither could get by her. She was a Turk, after all, and just as devious as the rest of them. Maybe more so. "Neither of you are allowed to leave this room unless it is either on fire, going to blow up in less than 20 seconds, or you have talked everything out." She cut Rude off before he could say anything. Whirlwind Elena was on a roll. "Don't EVEN give me that look, Rude. You KNOW what I'm talking about." She turned back to speaking to both of them.

"Now, if I hear that either of you left this room before there was some serious headboard to wall connection, I might just have to break out my mean side. And I'm sure neither of you really want that, right boys?" Again, she didn't wait for a response. "So, on that note, enjoy gentlemen!"

With that, she spun on her heels, closing the door behind her as she left. If you listened closely, you could hear a giggle coming from the hallway as she walked towards the office to get another room for herself.

"Devious little shit" he chuckled softly." Ya know.. I don't mean ta give the shit I do sometimes. ..an I know ya hate ta think of. ..Hell, an so do I, but I know I gotta talk through it. .We're both scared.. .you're scared you're gonna end up really hurtin' me. ..I'm scared I'm gonna do somethin' stupid that's gonna get me killed and o'how that'll affect ya."

Rude was still a little in shock at Elena's abrupt entry with Reno in tow. He had been quite content feeling miserable, sitting on the bed and contemplating the merits of the minibar.

Feeling Reno's words sink in, he bristled just a little. "I'm not afraid..." he paused, realizing that maybe he was. A little. He looked at the floor, not sure of what to say.

"m'not as fragile as ya think, I mean yeah, I blow up, an' have unconvential methodsa copin' with the shitstorm my head is, but if you didn't hurt me on monday, you ain't gonna. You were full bore, and ya still managed not ta hit me. I thought for a split second you were gonna, but you didn't. An as for the drink, shit yo, I'm sorry, I misinterpreted "

"But I did hurt you," Rude said after a moment. His voice was soft, as if he didn't want anyone but himself to hear it. "I did the one thing that I knew would hurt you without having to touch you. I told myself I would never, ever put a hand on you in anger... so instead I did something worse."

"An I dealt with it an' moved on, yo. You wanna know why I get so freaked..it ain't just because o dougie either. ..this is somethin' I ain't told NOBODY...even the damn people that got my psych profile for the Turks. I tell you my secrets because I trust you with 'em. Well, when I was 9. ..after Marcia died. .Dad blamed me for it. .wasn't the first time he'd ever hit me, but. ..well, he did somethin' worse, somethin' much worse. .." He shudders a moment. "When your own folks touch ya like that it sorta twists your views on what love really is. .."

Rude was speechless. Of all the things he hated Reno's father for... that one just went to the top of the list.

"Mom came in. .she had Uncle Myron's old service pistol in her hands, held that gun to his head until he got up off me. .. he wouldn't let her take me in ta the hospital, even though I was bleedin' all over the damn place. .. he didn't wanna end up in jail."

"Anyway, I sat in my bed, listenin' to 'em fight half the damn night. When Dad was drunk, he was a vicious fucker. Ended up changin' the sheets a coupla times until I finally stopped bleedin', the I went down, got my breakfast, and off ta school. He made me go on like it was just another normal day"  
m "Jesus fucking Christ, Reno..." was all Rude could say. He wasn't sure if he should go to Reno and hold him or sit there and listen.

"I repressed it, buried the shit. ..until one day some kid pressed me up against a wall at school and I just snapped. ..went apeshit on him."

"And I brought it all back..." Rude said quietly. Reno really didn't need any more hardships; he'd had enough. And Rude seemed to just make them worse.

"Nah man, you helped me unbury it...repressin' that shit ain't good. .ain't good for me. ..ain't good for you, either. Yeah, once it comes out I'm gonna be pissy an' shaky for a while. ..but in the long run I'll be stronger an' more stable for havin' it outsdidea my head where it belongs."

"'Pissy and shakey'? Reno, you CUT yourself," Rude said, standing as he raised his voice. "Last time I checked, that was NOT just pissy and shakey."

"show I coped then..shit, never said it was sane.. .an I got you now. .Monday was the first night I did that in 5 years. ..an Hell if I know what the fuck was even in my head then."

"You were afraid of me." Rude's tone made it sound more like an accusation than a statement. That minibar was looking like a good idea...

"Yeah, I was. .. Hell I was terrified, for all of about ten seconds until I realized you weren't gonna nail me like has happened every other time anyone's ever pinned me down like that."

"I broke n' ran 'cause you were tearin' up the place an I did NOT wanna get into the middlea that, 'cause I knew even if it was an accident if ya did end up hittin' me you're feel like utter shit, worse than ya do now."

Minibar time! Rude stalked over to the small fridge, opening it and taking out a beer. He opened it, downing the contents of the bottle in one drink, then pulled out two more, offering one to the redhead.

"I yelled at you, and you looked at me like... like you wanted me to see that 'look, I can hurt myself just like you hurt me.' You looked at me like you were challenging me, like you WANTED me to come at you, like... like you were some kind of definant child." Rude paused. "I don't want to be your father, Reno."

"I guess. ..Hell, I don't know what I was thinkin'.. .except that I figured if I hurt me first. ..when you did it wouldn't hurt as bad, An. ..you'd never yelled at me like that before. ..but Hell I could feel how pissed off you were. Not sure if ya know this or not but when ya get angry you tense up like a brick fuckin' wall."

"I had no right to do that, regardless," Rude protested. He took a drink of his beer and went back to sitting on the bed, staring at the floor and feeling like the biggest asshole on the planet.

"Maybe not. ..but it was Hella better than what ya COULDA done, an' I forgive ya for it. ..now forgive yourself for it, yo."

"What about next time?" Rude asked, looking up at Reno. "If there was a first time, there will be a next time. What happens when I don't hold it back? What happens then?"

He took one deep draught off the bottle of Jim Beam in his hand, shivering as it went down. "Won't be. ..we learned, right? I learned not ta challenge ya when you're in that state. ..and you just learned a lotta what makes me tick."

Rude's gaze quickly dropped back to the floor. He let out a shuddering sigh, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"We're cool on my end now. . we cool on yours?"

Rude took another drink from his bottle, not meeting Reno's eyes. He sniffled a little, blinking rapidly.

Finally, "Yeah. We're cool."

Reno strode over, laying his head against his back like he had before, just leaning against him. "I love you with alla my heart, an' you know that. If you'd died. ..if he'd blown your headd off like he'd planned. . .I woulda been right behind ya."

"It's true you're stronger than me that way, but I ain't that weak either. ..as that little display last night proved. I kicked that silver haired fucker's ass" he smirks.

Rude laughed, a sound that caused a single drop of moisture to travel from his eyes to the tip of his nose, where he hastily brushed it off. "Yeah... yeah you did." He followed it with a sigh.

"Whaddya say we just do it? I know the future ain't certain, Hell, that shit's got the boss. .if he can get sick. ..but If I die tomorrow I want it ta be wearing your ring, yo."

"What?" Rude said, meeting Reno's eyes with a look of shock, surprise, uncertainty... and a little hint of hope. "You want to what?"

"I want ya ta make an honest man o'me. ..want. ..the whole fuckin' shebang with everyone we care about."

"Reno, I..." Rude's mouth was opening and closing like a fish.

"You don't want that?" his eyes clouded a moment.

"I never said that I just..." Rude's hands were moving through the air as he spoke, as if the simple movement of hands could find the exact words he wanted to say.

"you do, but you're not sure if we should. ." he hoped he'd read him right.

"I just wasn't expecting it," Rude finally got out, pausing to finish his bottle of beer and set the bottle on the floor. "I mean... yeah."

"I still have all the stuff. ..an' after last night. .. I want everyone ta KNOW I'm yours...I wann be yours in every sensea the word. It's not just about a signature on a piecea paper ta me. ..it's that I'm sayin to ya that it's permanant. ..for as long as both of us are alive I'm not touchin' anyone else, an' with the paper. .an' the rings.. .it's a sign that seals the deal. .that means I MEAN it."

Rude paused, his mouth only able to speak the one thought that passed quickly through his mind.

"I'm not wearing the dress."

"Fuck no, who said anything about that." He laughs heartily. "Our uniforms are goodaenough for that. .I bet Laney's right outside the door, which means in about ten minutes everyone's gonna know"  
m "Fuck you, too, Reno!" came through the door in the girl's good natured tone.

Rude just chuckled, taking Reno's hand and just holding it in his own.

"An' the honeymoon's gonna be great. .hmm, I wonder how many o'my kinks we can explore in that time?"

"Kinks?" Rude gulped comically. "You have MORE kinks?"

"heh, yeah...you know when I fixed the emr I put another button on it?" He grins, holding up the repaired weapon with the second specially modified switch on it.

"No," Rude said, but there was no malice behind the words. "No. I went along when you wanted to dress up like a girl. I went along when you wanted to be spanked. I even went along with the whole threesome thing. But electroshock? No."

"Now listen...I promise it ain't gonna hurt me, it's a low level current. .. it's about as strong as the shock collar Rufus used to keep Darkie out of the garbage when she was a kitten."

"No," Rude repeated. "That's over the top, even for you." However, he did remember the look the black cuahl had given Rufus the first time he used it... and it was funny.

Reno turned it on, and slipped it over his crotch still inside his pants. ..his eyes went wide, then his head went back as he let out a soft moan. .."Ah, fuck, yo. ..you would not BELIEVE. ..it contracts the muscles on a low level an' when used right. .it feels fuckin' incredible."

"Ah, how about not?" Rude said, sliding minutely away on the bed. He knew that Reno was just crazy enough to try shocking him next.

Rude however would be able to see just how aroused he was. ..so much so it looked like he might bust out of his pants. ..so apparantly he'd been telling the truth that it felt good.

And Rude didn't care. More accurately, he was INCREDIBLY weirded out by it. It just wasn't... natural. "Reno, stop that..."

Reno grinned and putthe weapon away before diving his partner and pinning him to the bed with his legs... and finding the most incredibly ticklish spot on the big man's body...from half-way up his ribs to his armpits.

"Reno!" Rude said the name as the first syllable in a loud laugh. He squirmed, trying to get out from under the redhead. "Stop that!"

Then he siezed his lips in a fiercely posessive kiss."You're mine, big guy. ..just like I'm yours you're mine an' I'm stakin' claim. NO ONE is takin' you from me. ..not Sephiroth. ..not this fucked up illness. ..not some big fucking rock, and not some crazy fucker who has a problem with two guys lovin' each other."

Rude chuckled deep in his chest. "Now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?" He just really, really hoped whatever Reno came up with DIDN'T involve his weapon.

"I'm gonna lay down so you can fuck me senseless."

"Shouldn't take long," Rude teased, taking off his clothes and laying on the bed. A noise against the door made him chuckle.

"Elena?" he called.

"Yeah?" came the girl's voice from outside the door.

"You can go to bed now."

"Thanks!" came the chipper shout, followed by, "OH! And congratulations!"

"Yeah, yeah, now get outta here unless ya wanna see an' here morea me than ya ever have before."

Rude chuckled, focusing back on the redhead below him. "So... how would you like to be fucked?"

"Every which way you can imagine. JUst shit man. ..I want you. .I wanna feel like we're both alive. ..wanna have it imprinted on me that no one can take you from me, or me from you..not even fucking Death itself."

"I don't have the imagination you do," Rude stated, slowly undressing Reno. He paused, contemplating that for a moment. "Not that I think I'd want to."

"Rude..if he had. ..ya know if Hojo had succeeded in. ..would you an I still be. ..I know it's not a question I should probably be askin', but I guess I just need ta feel secure that it wouldn'ta driven you away. .an no, ya don't need ta tell meit's a moot point, I know that. " He sighs, for once he was having trouble articulating what he wanted to say.

"It is a moot point," Rude said, stopping to catch Reno's eyes before continuing. "But... we can talk about kids and maybe -- MAYBE adoption -- after the whole marriage thing, okay?" Rude proved his point by leaning down to nibble at a freshly exposed nipple.

He nodded, then gasped. .."Gods. ..you feel so good, and smell so wonderful. .'sparta what scares me ya know. ..you're so good. ..an I know I don't deserve someone'as good as you when I'm so fucked up. .So I always wonder when fate's gonna laugh in my face before kickin' me in m'ass."

Rude changed sides, speaking into Reno's other nipple as if it were a microphone and nibbling it inbetween words. "So worth it... Mmm... taste good..."

He arched up into the touch gasping more. ..his hands reaching up to wrap around Rude and carress the mocha-skinned back.

Rude groaned against Reno's skin as the redhead's hands trailed lightly up his back, going down that skinny strip of skin that lays where back and sides meet. THAT was his weak point; it sent shivers down to his toes and twitches right to his arousal. Were Reno to get him with the ecstacy again, he was fairly certain that several strokes on that patch of skin would get him off.

"Fuck yo. ...you don't have any idea how fucking much I love you. .. I'd die without you, man. ..if I didn't just off myself right there. ..I'd end up slowly wasting away anyway." He reached up and pressed his lips to Rude's, tounge pressing itself inside. ..salty droplets dripping into Rude's mouth, he didn't even realize it. . .it was a reafirmation of being alive.

Rude's eyes were a little wet as well, but he'd never admit to it. "Anything," his breath ghosted against Reno's lips. "Anything you want, it's yours... except the rod thing."

"Make me feel alive, yo. ..so alive that death would have a fuck's time findin' us."

Rude's tongue traced Reno's lips. He flipped the redhead onto his stomach, moving aside the fall of hair so he could kiss and nibble at the back of his neck. Rude fingers travelled lightly over his partner's arms, back, sides, everywhere he could reach.

Reno's head craned back, his eyes sliding closed and his mouth opening a bit as a purring noise passed his lips. He had the damn cat locked in an oversize dog crate in the bathroom, it was the only way the inkeeper would let them bring the cauhl into the building. his muscles shivered with every touch, and his fingertips curled in the sheets. "Gods. ..every touch is 'so wonderful. .. love your fingers. ..how though they're so strong are so damn silky-feeling. . .only callouses from the service pistol. . ."

Rude added a slight scratch of short nails to his touching ministrations as he kissed his way from the back of Reno's neck, down his spine to his tailbone, and back up again. He leaned up so his breath tickled the hair by Reno's ear.

"Love your mouth..." he panted. "Does it love me?"

Reno responded with a deep, breath-stealing kiss as he leaked a moan out into the big man's mouth..his muscles still twitching under his skin with intense sensation. "Love all of you, yo...mouth. ..hands. .. that damn cock that makes me feel like I'm in the fucking promised land while I'm still alive. ..but most of all, I love what's in here." He sets a hand against Rude's bald temple. "An' here. " He sets a hand on the broad chest "That sharp mind that almost always seems ta be able to figure me out. ..and that warm, patient, loving heart that always opens wide ta let me in when I'm hurtin'."

Rude ground his hips against Reno, informing him just what the redhead was doing to said 'damn cock.' And he had a really good idea what he wanted to do with that appendage.

He slid off Reno, sitting up and moving towards the end of the bed. His feet rested on the floor and his legs spread wide. He smiled at his partner's look of uncertainty, then gestured for him to move to the floor between the muscled thighs. A Reno on his knees with your cock in his mouth was a wonderful, wonderful thing that Rude couldn't seem to get enough of, even after all that time.

Reno got down on his knees. ..and swallowed him whole as if he was starving and his partner's dick in his mouth was the only food that would satisfy. ..lips caressing the underside, including the bar through the frenulum. He always idly wondered why Rude would get a piercing THERE, but he loved the sounds Rude made when his tounge played with it.

The piercing was something from an ex that he'd never really gotten rid of. Before he'd started seeing Reno, Rude was with a rather kinky girl who was into the whole body piercing thing. She claimed that a piercing THERE would make it more pleasurable for the girl when being taken from behind. However, Rude never got a chance to try it out, since she left him for some freak with metal bars up his back. In fact, she was the reason Rude had all his piercings... except the nipple rings. He'd taken those out the day she left him and hadn't put them back since.

Rude groaned from the back of his throat, hips making minute little thrusts with Reno's movements. He threaded his fingers into the redhead's spikes, not so much guiding him as just holding on to something.

He then looped both lips around the piercing, playing with it a little more before doing this trick he had of pushing his mouth all the way down, taking him deep into his throat while at the same time reaching up that long snakelike tounge to play and diddle that tiny bit of metal yet more. .then he kept his tounge wrapped firmly around it while bobbing his head up and down quick but not too quick..

Rude growled, his cock twitching. "Keep that up and I'm coming down your throat," he growled sensually. "And I expect you to swallow all of it."

Reno's eyes twinkled up at him as he smiled around Rude's cock and then teasingly pulled on the high guage bar with his tounge tip while gently scraping with his teeth down the shaft as if to say "I dare you."

Rude was never one to back away from a dare he knew he could win. "Just keep up your end of the bargain," he mumbled, the last word kind of turning into a moan. Within another moment, Rude proved to be a man of his word, an animalistic sound coming from his throat as he shot down Reno's.

Reno swallowed down every bit, licking his lips as one small droplet hung there. He normally wasn't a swallower, with the business of prostitution it had been a dangerous concept, but with Rude. ..well, he loved the taste of the big man on his tongue.

Rude flopped backwards on the bed bonelessly. He could only mutter an 'oh god' every now and again, but otherwise, he was made braindead by orgasm.

Reno lay next to him, hard as rock between the tiny shocks and the tiny noises Rude made when he blew him like that, but he could wait, contrary to popular belief he could be a patient man.

Rude was finally able to string a few words together after another few minutes. "Never get tired of that..." he muttered, nuzzling Reno's face with his own, but still not moving from how he lay with his knees and lower hanging off the bed.

Reno grins and hauls him up, straddling him. "Yeah the one time ya had yer legs hangin' that way you fell off, I don't wanna do that again."

Rude didn't mention just how intoxicated he was that time, and that it was probably a combination of the mindblowing blowjob he'd gotten and the alcohol that made him fall.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

Reno picks up the bottle of astroglide, and gets a minxish expression. "Ya know, you've never done me with the bar still in. ..ya took it out last night. ..I wanna see how it feels. ..I know you normally take it out 'cause it catches in your clothes " He begins to slather the slick fluid over his fingers, those fingers gliding in and out. . .then over Rude's shaft gently. ..

"Not fair if I get off twice and you don't," Rude offered the token objection. Whenever Reno would get him off once, then get him off again a short time later, Rude always felt just a little selfish. However, regardless of how selfish he was feeling, he was feeling Reno's hands stroking the blood back into his cock more.

"Who says you won't get me twice before you do again, yo? That thing looks delicious."

Rude meant to say 'we'll see.' He really did. But when he opened his mouth to say it, only a needy moan came out.

Reno slid himself down, a throaty cry immediatly coming out as that bar did absolutely AMAZING things to his insides. .the edges catching atthe sweet spot and PULLING a little, my god, it was so intense. ..almost TOO much

Rude smirked slightly as he felt Reno twitch around him. If that was what a single thrust with the bar in could do to the redhead, Rude would have to make it a point to leave it in more often.

Reno then lifted, dropping again. ..growls and little mewls coming from him as his whole body became sheened in sweat. ..he remembered the one time exhaustion from an intense screw like this one had pushed him over the wall and to say it had enhanced things, at least for him, was an understatement. ..maybe that is where he got his fascination for electricity. . .the thought was driven away as he lowered himself again.

Rude grabbed Reno's hips, controlling the redhead's movement. He made shallow, little thrusts into his partner, making sure the metal bar was constantly moving over just the right spot. It felt rather nice on Rude's end, but he could only imagine how it felt for Reno.

Reno growled again, his whole body sent into shudders as he lost most muscular control, his eyes crinkling at the corners from how tight they are shut. .. then a growling roar as he shifted just right and it pulled a bit to the right. . .spraying himself as his body thrashed with the intensity, the thrashing dying down to twitching. ..his muscles jelly for several moments before he sat up, smirking and sitting himself all the way up again.

"That's one," Rude noted, almost offhanded with his tone. But the smile, the smile was the kind of smile that said 'I love you and always will.'

"Gods, I love you. .." He whispered as he felt his body beginning to kick over the wall, not a lot, just very very low level. ..just enough to have a tingling sensation leak through them both, causing muscles to tighten and loosen in a spastic way, he took that to his advantage as he began moving again, this time with circular motions to the slender hips that made the bar brush in all KINDS of places that made him tremble and moan and send more of those buzzing low-level tingles through them both.

Rude groaned loudly, his fingers making dark bruises on Reno's hips as the circular motions brought him closer and closer to the edge.

Reno tilted to where he was bent almost double, the lithe dancer's frame being flexible enough to allow it, hair trailing to brush Rude's balls in a way that drove him absolutly ape. In his face the big man may not like, but used to barely brush skin..drew a moan from him every time. when he did bend back like that the bar bent the skin above the magic button in such a way that it pressed into it a bit. . .causing him to scream harshly as he sprays a second time. His body clenching and unclenching around Rude as bit more of that current leaked through. .. a bit more intense of a tingle.

Rude wasn't even aware he was getting off until about halfway through the orgasm. It caught him so totally off guard, what with him watching the sight of Reno reaching his peak and all.

Reno as the second one finished literally FELL off. . .ody shaking. "f-fuck yo. . ."

Unconscicousness tugged at the corners of Rude's mind. He needed to get cleaned up -- he glanced at the bed -- change the sheets and sleep. Not necessarily in that order.

Oblivion had already claimed the slender redhaired Turk, sprawled on his back with his hair around him, the occasional spark crackling around him still as his body figured out it had not been in danger, but just been in the midst of an extremely intense climax. He had his left hand woumd in his hair, one leg haphazardly crossed over the other.

Rude decided that, of the three, sleep was the best option at the moment. Not moving at all, he closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.

Reno woke the next morning to a knock at the door, he pulled his sweatpants on to see Elena standing there with a smirk, two garment bags in her hand. "Wake the big guy too. ..I have a surprise for the both of you."

Rude was completely oblivious. The events of the past week had wreaked havoc on his sleep schedule. He was laying exactly how he'd fallen asleep, on his back, naked as the day he was born. The only indication of his living status, other than the light snore, was the morning glory standing there for all in the room to see.  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno had to laugh. "Shit, 'Lena. ..you just got a nice eyeful, didntcha?"

"Still am," Elena said with a grin, finally pulling her eyes away from Rude to look at Reno. "You sir, are a very lucky man. And that is all I will say, other than can I borrow him?"

"'slong as ya don't plan on doin' anything untoward ta him, sure thing. ..and let me tell ya somethin'.. .that piercing. ..I'm gonna make sure he never takes it off."

Rude was certainly not Elena's type, but the girl WAS a girl afterall, and no afraid to look. She took a few steps into the room, then gasped softly. "Is that what I think that is?" she asked, quickly moving over to get a closer look at Rude's piercing. She let out a low whistle, looking back at Reno and grinning even wider. "I take that back. You are the luckiest little shit on the damn planet." She paused for a moment, waving her finger in a circle over the mess they'd left. "Also, eww."

"Both of us passed out, yo. ..m'body's still tinglin', I think I hit limit a little when the intensity o' it threw my body into shock a little."

Rude thought he heard voices above him, but was too exhausted to bother waking up fully. However, he was intrigued that one of them was a female voice. So, instead of opening his eyes and waking up, he decided just to listen.

"Still, eww," Elena said.

Elena? What was she doing...? Rude's eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly. His eyes met Elena's, then Reno's, then looked down. Yes, nudity and morning wood stared right back at him. With a cry of embarassment, he reached over for anything to cover himself with.

"Sorry yo, Elena wanted me ta get ya ready, she says she has a surprise."

Rude just gaped, mouth dropping open, then snapping shut as his brain worked for ANYTHING to say.

Elena beat him to it. "No wonder Reno won't let me steal you. You've got quite the equipment, big boy," she giggled, nodding at his now-hidden crotch.

Reno opened his garment back to find one of the most ELEGANTLY cut suits he had ever seen,black with crushed red velvet inside. . .the cumberbun and tie also red. .."Fuck, Lena. ..it's gorgeous."

Rude opened his bag, noticing a similar suit, only coloured white with black and dark grey accents. It was... beautiful.

"Might need to get some bigger pants for you, though," Elena said to Rude. "Didn't realize just what you were packing down there." She was NOT letting it go, and it was amusing the living hell out of her.

"Gifts from the boss, I'm betting." He smirks, Rufus had TASTE, and he seemed to know just what shades of what colors suited everyone.

"Thank you," Rude told Elena, but when after a moment the girl didn't stop grinning at him, he flopped backwards on the bed, careful to keep the garment bag covering his morning 'problem'. "Drop it, Elena," he growled, embarassed.

Elena saluted him, winked and said, "Consider it dropped like soap in the shower, sir." She giggled again, turning to Reno. "The President wants you to pick a day and let him know. Otherwise, we're off today until Tseng can find someone who knows a little more about the... illness."

"I'd like it asap, but I know it takes time ta plan somethin' like this. And speakin' o' droppin' the soap, is that why we use body wash now?" He quirks a brow.

Rude groaned. The blonde was hanging out with Reno too much; she was starting to pick up some of his bad habits... like picking on Rude.

"Done and done," she said before spinning around and exiting. "Enjoy your day off, boys! I know Reno will!" With that, Whirlwind Elena was gone.

Reno looked at the suit again, completely enraptured. ..it was happening. ..shit it was really happening. .his heart felt like it was about to float out of his chest, that wide, genuine smile that lit his face when he was honestly happy and not just hiding his troubles behind that dark humor spreading across his features.

Rude looked at his suit again as well. White. He'd never really thought about wearing white. He was usually a dark colour guy. Then again, Rufus had taste to spare, and if the President thought you would look nice in something, you would look absolutely drop dead gorgeous in it. However, the feeling of the dried semen on him pulled him from his thoughts.

"Shower," he said, carefully hanging the bag in the little hotel closet.

Reno nodded, he was grinning ear to ear, the uncertainty and depression from the previous night fleeing at the thought that he was claiming forevermore what was his. .legally and in every other way possible. ..he strolled into the bathroom, slapping Rude's ass playfully on the way in.

Rude jumped and yelped. He was not used to having someone spank him, even playfully. "What was that about?" he asked, turning on the water in the shower and pulling out a pair of towels.

"Just happy, yo...really happy...The thoughta this bein' completely and legally mine. ..shit..."

Rude smiled, a nice, genuine smile that showed just how happy he was for it as well. "Make an honest man of you yet," he muttered, pulling the redhead into the shower with him.

"Gods yes.. .'sgood to work for Shinra." He chuckles. "They ruled the world when this was drafted, an' even though Shinra's temporarily lost in power it's still legally binding. .."

Whatever was good enough for Reno, was good enough for him. And Rude's slow, languid kiss said just that.

Reno moaned as he returned it, lips and tounge dancing around Rude's teasingly. "Ya know if we don't get our libidos in check we're never gonna get a shower, an' as much as I love being fucked breathless my stomach's protestin' the thought in favor o' breakfast."

"I can't kiss you just because I want to kiss you?" Rude asked, face covered in mock hurt. "You'd choose breakfast over me? Oh, the agony." He smiled, pressing a light kiss to Reno's nose before he started their ritual of him washing Reno's hair.

Reno chuckles softly. "Oh trust me, you'll get yours as soon's we get some food in our bellies, this will be the first day we can get decent meals in days.. . oh, and Em left us somethin' too. .little rice bags." he laughs.

Rude tilted Reno's head back, washing out the shampoo/conditioner thing the hotel left in the bathroom. "Little rice bags?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, the guests empty 'em out to throw the rice at the newly married couple as they exit the building...'sWutain tradition, o'course Elena would think of it."

He grunts as he feels the water flow over him. "Supposed to symbolize a fertile an' prosperous life or some shit o' that kind."

"we are not 'fertile' with each other, Reno," he pointed out, hoping Reno wouldn't bring up Hojo's grand 'ass baby' idea again. He quickly soaped and rinsed them both, turning off the water after doing so.

"I know that, prob'ly Elena's idea of a joke." He laughs. "Though we most certainly have something else bountiful. .. and we're prosperous enough."

Something else struck Rude as odd about the rice tradition... "It's Wutan tradition?" he asked, then continued. "Neither of us are Wutan"  
Michael TW Kelley: "Like I said, her idea o'a joke. ..unless Tseng suggested it."

Ah ha! Tseng. There was the culprit. "So, what would you like to do with our day off?" he asked, stepping out of the shower and drying off.

"First off food. ..then. ..we decide how an' where we wanna do this. . I always thought if I ever did I'd wanna do it in an outdoor, natual sorta setting 'cause livin' under the plate I rarely saw any sorta nature at all."

Rude wanted to suggest Costa Del Sol. He'd been born there, but his family moved to Midgar before his younger brother was born. But... everyone went to Costa Del Sol to get married, it seemed.

"I was actually thinkin'. .Mideel since they rebuilt the place...beautiful ocean view. ..and woodland too. ..it's got a rustic look to it, but it's not as populated, an' it's not as tight ass as Costa about. ..couples like us either."

Mideel. He hadn't been to Mideel since he was a small child. It was... perfect. Rude smiled, wrapping his arms around Reno in a tight hug. "Whatever baby wants, baby gets," he growled gently, smiling into the redhead's hair.

Truthfully Costa and Wutai had never really moved beyond the middle ages in some ways. ..if Tseng's parents ever discovered he was bound to another man they'd probably disown him in shame. ..and Reno was ever mindful of it. 


	11. Chapter 11

Yeah, no more bigots. ..sounds good'ta me."

Mideel was known for its more... liberal mindedness. It had kind of an unspoken don't ask, don't make assumptions, don't antagonize policy. It was... "Perfect," Rude said, smiling.  
M Reno pulled on his jeans and his Flaming Meteor cconcert t-shirt, They being one of the speed metal bands he LIKED, he'd attended the concert with Rude 6 months after they'd become partners, and he still had the shirt.

"Let's get some breakfast, yo." and his belly grumbled audibly.

Breakfast sounded lovely. "Eggs," Rude said thoughtfully, "and... steak. Steak, eggs and a pile of hash browns. And coffee." Mostly the coffee. "Room service or go out?" he asked.

"Let's go out, yo. There's this diner three blocks down that serves the most absolutely DIVINE hash browns.. .almost as good as what YOU do to me, though ain't nothin' AS good as that." He slid his slipper sandles on. "Gonna check on the boss an' see if they wan' us to bring back anything."

Rude nodded, looking for his other shoe. He waved at Reno, indicating that the redhead could go and get breakfast orders next door while he went on the Quest for the Missing Left Sneaker.

Reno knocked, to be greeted by Tseng's pale and worn face. "Yo, Tseng, you look like hammered shit. "He looks to see Elena had arrived as well, she looked equally drawn.

"Bad news, I take it. .." those drawn and tired faces could only mean that. ..Elena never looked like she did now otherwise.

How the hell did his shoe get that far under the bed? Rude could barely fit under there... must've been Reno. He could only hope it had been Reno and not Elena sneaking into their room at night. He shuddered, grabbing the shoe and putting it on. Lastly, the sunglasses. There. Presentable. He walked over to the next room frowning when he saw everyone's faces.

Reno looked straight over at Elena. "Laney? What, what'd ya find out?"

There were no tears, which meant the President was NOT dead. However, their faces indicated that it was a possibility in the short term future. "Sir?" he asked Tseng, unsure just how effective their leader could be with his lover in the state he was in.

"It's terminal. . .there is no cure. "  
m "Are you...?" Rude started to ask, but he already knew the answer. Of course Tseng wasn't all right. Rufus was in the next room dying of some unknown, deadly illness, and there was absolutely nothing any of them, anyone on the planet, could do about it.

Reno's mouth dropped in shock. ..the pen and paper he'd had in his hands dropping to the floor with a soft clatter as Elena began quietly crying behind Tseng. "No. .. Gods no. .this can't be, shit he's the strongest man I've ever met. ..he can' t be."

Rude was, more so than usual, very glad he wore his sunglasses. "I'm sorry, sir," he said to Tseng, tone and voice low.

Tseng nodded, his eyes somber "We will enjoy what time we have. ..and he has already made legal arrangements. He wishes us and whatever offspring we may adopt. ..or in Elena's case produce. ..to take over the company after. ."And now they could see the stoic bushido's eyes mist, though he'd never let them fall in front of his subordinates.

Rude turned his gaze away. He'd seen the moisture at the corners of Tseng's eyes, and he spared their superior the shame of crying in front of them. Not that their was, but... Rude decided that the best thing to do was to keep their health up and see if there were any other options other than to watch their President die.

Elena finally composed herself "They've opened the mountain hospital near the Mythril Caves to those who have the illness. ..they're searching for a cure. . .it's just a matter of them finding it before. .."

Rude nodded. "It's the best option we have." He turned to look at Tseng, figuring he was the de facto choice maker for the ill President. "Sir?"

Tseng nodded. "We'll pack our things after the ceremony. .." He hands them tickets to Mideel. "He wishes to do this while he is still well enough to be presentable for it."

Rude smiled. So much joy, and so much sadness. What a week it had been... and it wasn't even over yet. Hearing Reno's stomach growl again made him revert back to the present. "Is he well enough for a normal breakfast, sir?" he asked, knowing that they all needed to eat something.

Tseng nodded "He's asked me to have you bring him back some blueberry crepes and sausage along with juice and coffee. Thank you."

"And for you, sir?" Rude asked, then glanced over at Elena. "And you're welcome to come with us, if you want."

"No," she said with a soft smile. "Just bring me back a coffee and a raspberry muffin and we'll call it even, big guy."

"Just a hazelnut muffin and coffee please." It was understandable his appetite wouldn't be that great right now.

Rude nodded, placing his arm around Reno's shoulders. He steered the redhead towards the door, closing it softly behind him when they exited.

"Are you okay?" he asked Reno, knowing that he and Rufus were close, but not knowing just how close.

He nodded, then cursed softly. . .no, he didn't know they'd been lovers before he and Rude had been together. .."Shit, yo. .. if it could happen ta him. ..what's ta stop it from happenin' to one of us?"

"We'll deal with that if it comes," Rude said, leaning over to place a small, comforting kiss on Reno's lips. "First things first. Breakfast."

Reno nodded, kissing back and leading him off with a tug of his hand toward the squat building with the moon shaped sign atop it nearby.

Rude followed, shrugging off the handful of glances they were getting. Both of them were wearing pants, and it wasn't as if they were screwing right there in the street. Ah well. He didn't have the motivation to worry about it... especially after the teenaged girl who whistled at them and tossed out a "You two rock!" with a wink of understanding.

Reno however was in no mood to deal with the stares they got in the diner. "What the fuck are you lookin' at? Ain't ya ever seen two people in love before?"

"Reno." Rude's tone said it all. He wasn't interested in any trouble. It wasn't even noon yet, and they already had bad things to deal with. He didn't want any more for at least a few more hours.

The few who stared got the point though and averted their eyes with soft mumbles.

Rude gave the orders for Tseng, Elena and Rufus to the waitress, followed by his own order, mentioning that they were all to go. He turned to Reno, unsure as to what bizarre thing the redhead was going to order for breakfast. Sometimes, Reno had weird cravings in the morning, which Rude used to joke about being a sure sign of pregnancy. Ever since the Hojo and ass babies incident, he didn't joke about that anymore.

"Chcocolate chip pancakes and eggs here, yo, and a double mocha." Chocolate. ..ah yes, chocolate, ther cure for morning mood.

Rude snickered. Leave it to Reno to overdose on chocolate. "Girl," he teased quietly.

"No pussy here yo." he laughed, putting what Rude called his "game face" on.

"Sometimes I wonder," he jibed, just rolling with it. Sometimes, the best way to get Reno to feel better was to just roll with it. It usually ended up making Rude feel better as well.

Reno snorts, picking up the orders, immediatly taking a sip off the mocha.

Rude helped carry the orders, smiling at the waitress when she opened the door for them. They made it back to the hotel with no real incidents to speak of.

Reno ate quickly, throwing sidelong glances at the boss the whole time. ..it was obvious in the gifts what he thought of the idea of what he and Rude were doing...but he was curious what was going through his head now. Not that Rufus ever showed much of went on in his head a lot of the time, and he was even harder than Rude to read, part of what had caused their breakup.

Rude savored every bite of breakfast, from the hot sauce he put on his eggs to the salt, pepper and cheese he had on his hashbrowns. It wasn't that often he got to sit down and have a real breakfast with anyone other than Reno.

Rufus of course looked as inscrutable as ever as he watches his subordinates, though he looked tired. .as if he hadn't slept well. "Well, shall we get moving now that we are done eating, gentlemen? The helo flight to Mideel is 2 hours and we have much to do."

Rude nodded, standing to collect paper plates, plastic silverwear, empty styrofoam coffee cups and other odds and ends from the meal and putting them in a small garbage bag.

Em meanwhile looked up at everyone after eating the cereal Reno had brought back for her and then peered over at Rude. "Where we goin'? Uncle Rufus and Uncle

Rude squatted down by the girl. If he was going to agree to them eventually adopting kids, he would have to get used to them first. "We're going to Mideel," he said with a little smile. "Uncle Reno and I have a few things to do there."

"Uncle Rufus said you're gettin' married. ..C'n I be your flower girl? my new momma bought me a pwetty dress."

Rude raised an eyebrow at Elena.

"Couldn't help it!" the blonde giggled.

Rude turned back to the little girl. "I don't mind, but you'd better ask Uncle Reno, too."

Reno grinned "'course ya can, kiddo, but better get your basket your mama bought, too, we need ta go as soon's the boss is ready."

Rude nodded, deciding it was time for him to go back their stuff as well. In their last make-up session, things had gotten a little scattered.

Elena grinned "I took the liberty of packing up all your things, they're in front of the door, all you need to do is drop off your key."

"Thanks," he said, then suddenly felt at a loss of what to do.

"I think that is your cue to climb into the car so we can get to the helipad, Mr. Urar" Rufus; voice held an amused tone.

Rude jumped slightly, turning towards Rufus' voice with a slight blush. "Yes, sir," he said, doing just as he was told. He had to admit, finally going through... THIS had him feeling a little apprehensive. Not so much with a cold feet, should I or should I not? feeling. More of a I hope nothing goes wrong feeling.

Reno had their bags loaded into the car already, Tseng assisting Rufus in, Elena was driving. Reno's head was floating several inches above his head in joy it felt like. He had every intention of being on his best behavoir

Rude was getting jumpier with each bump the car drove over. Anyone could see he was getting visably more and more agitated the closer they got to the helipad. Cold feet? Maybe. Second thoughts? Only a couple. Questions and worries with no answers? Yes, lots.

Reno just set his hand on Rude's in a gentle manner, that sweet, genuine smile that was normally only for him showing on his face, the one that said "Nothing will go wrong today, stop worrying and go with the flow."

But Rude couldn't help it. The phrase 'Can I really do this?' kept going through his head over and over. By the time they'd reached the helipad, he was barely able to keep up his stoic appearance.

"You're not havin' second thoughts are you?" The question was quiet, a hopeful tone to it, as if he hoped the answer would be no. For the first time Reno wanted to commit himself to someone, and he had no second thoughts once he set his mind on something.

"No! I..." Rude said, rather louder than he intended. "It's just that..." he couldn't put words to it. Reno was the first long-term relationship he'd had where he hadn't expected to die within the year. His hands moved in front of him in that word-finding gesture.

"You're afraid somethin's gonna go wrong. . .partly 'causea the week we've had, and partly 'causea the boss. m'right, aren't I?"

"Sort of," he said, infinitely frustrated with his inability to both tell Reno what was bothering him and, more importantly, figure out exactly WHAT was bothering him in the first place. All he could come up with was that he was nervous. N-E-R-V-O-U-S nervous.

"Ah, an' you got the jitters. .." He chuckled. " 'sta be expected, yo."

"I do NOT have the jitters," Rude said, sounding and sort of looking like a pouting child. He 'hmph'ed, then added, "Thought seeing the bride before the ceremony was bad luck."

"Ain't no bride yo, besides if I don't fly the chopper we'll probably end up crashin, 'cause you n' I are the only ones QUALIFIED ta fly it an' if I let you do it as shaky as your hands are we won't get there."

A small voice in the back of Rude's head mentioned that Reno was right. Rude told that voice to back off and shut the fuck up as he sat on his shakey hands in the helicopter. There. Who has shakey hands now, eh?

Reno took off with a smirk, peering over at Rude in the co-pilot's seat sitting on his hands. "No need ta be nervous, yo. I'm usually the one who knows when somethin's gonna go wrong, and I don't feel no "Goin' wrong" vibes today, so settle, fer Shiva's sake."

Settle? Settle? How could he settle when he was, Rude gulped, getting married to the most annoying, irritating, self-righteous, unstable, beautiful, loving, caring, cherished person on the damn planet? He was NOT going to hyperventilate. He was NOT.

"I need a cigarette," he said, proud at how normal his voice sounded.

"Rude. .." His voice held a slight tone of sadness to it. "If you don't wanna do this I won't force ya. ..I know forcing someone to do something they don't wanna just leads ta shit goin' wrong.so tell me now. .do you want this? An' be honest."

"I want to," Rude said, "I'm just... just a little sca--" he cut himself off mid-word, choosing to go with a slightly less incriminating word. "Nervous."

Reno nodded, and they flew overhead of Mideel, his sharp eyes spotting the helipad even through the thick overgowth.

When they landed, Rude helped Tseng with Rufus. "We should stop by the clinic," he said, remembering that they had both excellent doctors and wheelchairs.

Reno nodded, picking up the limo that had already been arranged for and pulling around to the helipad.

The ride to the clinic had Rude fluctuating between nervous agitation and excited elation. In short, he was an emotional mess.

Rufus when he came out with Tseng was as tight lipped as they came..."Well, you two have nothing to worry about, it's not contagious."

Truthfully, Rude wasn't surprised. Rufus hadn't come in contact with anyone with the disease, yet still seemed to contract it.

They all clambered back into the car, this time headed for a small, rural looking temple in the middle of town. "hey, 'Lena, help me gdet ready, wouldja?"

It was time. It was time and Rude was nervous all over again. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Reno when he got into the dressing room with Elena finally let on that he, too, had the jitters. "aw, shit, where's my tie? it's not with the suit!"

Rude was in the bathroom, carefully putting on each piece of his new suit with both reverence and purpose. He could do this.

Reno finally got it all on, letting Elena brush out and style his hair, then looked in the mirror. "how do I look.?"

"If he says no, can I have you instead?" Elena asked cheerfully.

Rude sighed, turning to look in the mirror. The cut of the white suit showed off his best assets, and the black and dark grey accents just added to the allure. If he were anyone else, he'd say that he was looking pretty damn hot.

Tseng lead Rude down to the end of the aisle, where they waited quietly. ..the sun shimmering in through the skylights.

Rude took a deep breath. This was it. It was time.

Then, music playing. ..a soft love song, not the traditional, but what about this or the couple was. ..and there he was walking down on Elena's arm, the light shimmering down on red hair that gleamed like glass. .his eyes misty, he looked as if his heart was in his throat. Rufus of course officiated, since despite Shinra's fall he still had the ability to sign off on the certificate. But to be frank. ..Reno seemed to shine with an oddly ethereal sort of inner beauty right now, a true happiness that nothing could mar. Rude of course had never seen him quite this way before outside of post-orgasmic bliss.

When Elena and Reno reached him, Rude let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding with a soft, "Hey." Then he drew in another, shakey one.

Rufus smiled as Elena shoved Reno's hand into Rude's. the blond man thinking about possible futures should he get out of this alive and intact. ..seeing Tseng in a suit like the one Reno wore now. "We are gathered here before these witnesses to bind these two in a permenant life-bond known as marriage. Should any have an objection speak now or remain quiet on the matter forevermore." Seeing as no one stood he continued, looking to Rude.

"I have no objections, sir," Rude said with a soft smile, now that the ceremony was actually taking place, his nerves calming.

Rufus turned to Reno, his eyes flashing with something like happiness. "Do you, Reno Tarshil, take this man to be your husband and lifemate, pledging to love him and remain faithful to him, under the best and worst of circumstances, for as long as you both live?"

Reno was beaming when he solemnly answered "Yes, sir, I do."

Rude just smiled. That's all he really could do as he listened to Reno's affirmation.

Rufus then turned to Rude, asking the same of him, something almost wistful about the look in his eye, the way his head tilted just so.

"Yes, sir," Rude replied, taking his gaze from Reno only to look Rufus in the eyes for his answer. When he looked back at Reno, he added, "I do."

Elena was sniffling as Rufus said "I now pronounce you married, now kiss for Shiva's sake so we can free up the temple and head to the reception hall, we have an 11:30 wedding behind us."

Rude leaned in, lips pursing slightly to kiss Reno delicately on the lips. He closed his eyes, feeling the redhead respond. When the kiss broke, he dropped his head, looking to the floor and just breathing. He just had to breath.

All Reno could do for several long moments was just stare at the gilt silver claddagh on his left ring finger and hope that if this was a dream he would never wake up. ..before letting out a whioop of pure joy, his face lighting in a wide grin.  
m The sound that came from Reno startled him, causing Rude to look up quickly, breaths coming faster than he wanted them to. He would NOT hyperventilate. He would NOT.

"Nothing went... wrong," he said, amazement showing plainly in his voice and face.

Reno threw himself into Rude's arms, kissing all over his face. "My. ..my husband. ..Sweet Shiva I never thought I'd be able to say that."

Rude was mildly in shock. He hated to admit it, but he was totally expecting something, ANYTHING to disrupt the ceremony. But... nothing did. And that surprised him so much he could do nothing more than hold on as Reno mauled him.

Reno grabbed his hand and led him to the reception hall now where the DJ grinned at them and the lights went down. ..the stage spots turning on as the DJ spoke "This is for the new couple only, folks, so let 'em through."

Slow dance? Rude did NOT slow dance. He thought slow dancing was rather dumb. On one hand, all you did was just rock back and forth on your feet. Woo. On the other, if you were just trying to get close to the other person for a little groping, you could do that better to some speed metal or trance music.

But then Reno looked up at him. ..and one could see the choice of music, which HAD to have been Elena's, had a touched a chord somewhere deep within the redhead's soul. He whispers up into Rude's ear, of course taking care to nibble it a bit as he did, in a surprisingly sweet voice. "Baby when you touch me, I can feel how much you love me, and it just blows me away" before leaning his head on his new husband's chest, now content to just listen to that strong, steady heartbeat.

Rude swayed back and forth with Reno, all thoughts of how stupid slow dancing was were gone as he just enjoyed the concreteness of their union. He kept the fact that he hated country music to himself, though. See? Good husband.

"Blame Elena" he whispered. "Just. ..right now. ..this moment is perfect. .. woudnt give a shit if Enter Sandman was playin' so long's as I'm here with you."

m"Battery," Rude mumbled into Reno's ear with a smile. "Better than Enter Sandman." He rested his chin on Reno's head, just smelling his scent and enjoying his presense like he hadn't been able to do all damn week. Sure, 'enjoying eachothers presenses' in THAT sense was great, but sometimes a little cuddling was nice, too.

"Still can't fuckin' believe it yo. ...we're really. .and nothin' bad happened. .."

"Shh," Rude said into the spikes on top of Reno's head. "Don't jinx it." He glanced over to see Elena giving them the thumbs up, tears of happiness evident on her face.

"Could give 'em a show like the old man got on the cameras, but It'd make Tseng an' the boss horny and Elena turn red." He snorts with that teasin smile as he says it.

"Elena won't just turn red," Rude stated, face pinkening just a little, remembering all her comments about his ahem size.

"Yeah, and that's a threesome that won't fly." He laughs then.

"Why not?" Rude teased, leaning back a little just to see Reno's reaction. He knew that the redhead knew about Rude's attraction to women as well as men. In fact, Reno was his second, and obviously last, boyfriend. All the others had been women.

"'Cause as much as she'd enjoy it. .. you're mine and it'd complicate things."

"'Course Rufus-sama wouldn't mind joining in, either, but then you'd be widowed fast 'cause Tseng would murder me in my sleep."

"Tseng would kill me, too, for good measure," Rude added, smiling and placing his chin back on Reno's head.

"Nah, wouldn't murder you, he's got reason to murder me." He blushed knowing he'd given enough away that he'd probably be questioned about what he'd meant.

Yes, questioned. Immediately. "And what reason would that be?" Rude asked. He wasn't trying to start a fight, but if there were going to be married, and they already were, there were no more big secrets. Little ones, like who ate the last piece of cheesecake between Reno and his cuahl? Those were fine to keep secret. But something that would make Tseng kill him? Had to be told.

"The boss an I were. ..well together before you an' I. ..and before he and Tseng. The breakup was kinda messy."

"How messy?" Rude asked. It was very important for him to know, mostly so he didn't cross any unknown boundaries with the President.

He lifts his hair, and the scar above his eye that was hidden 99 of the time showed, it was a tiny crosshatch pattern in the shape of the Shinra Corp logo. ..like the one on Rufu's ring."'snot to say I didn't bring it on myself. ..I told him he had turned into his father an' I didn't need that in my life."

To Rude, that still didn't give Rufus the right to strike Reno. Okay, so maybe he had different rules for those that were Reno, those that were your friends, and those that needed a beating. Reno, obviously, covered the first category. Rufus and the other Turks covered the second. And the third? Everyone else.

"He apologized for it later, o'course. Unlike ol' Jack Shit, when the boss is wrong he SAYS he's wrong."

Rude nodded. Well, that was... enlightening.

"That's why Tseng looks at me funny an' drives me harder than most everyone else, I think."

Rude nodded again. "And when were you planning on telling me this?" he asked, voice even. There was no hidden accusation in his tone indicating that he was angry with Reno for not telling him. He just wanted to know.

"Actually, wasn't at first. .m'past is m'past, ya know, and aside from Tseng bein' funky about shit, that particular past don't affect me much now."

And that would put a new spin on Monday's little "incident" though Reno might not think so. Of course on Tseng's part it was a completely subconscious thing, he didn't realize he drove Reno harder than the others to be a good TUrk.

"I just like to know," Rude said softly. "Just in case it decides to bite us in the ass again." With that, the song had ended and the two men were promptly glomped by an enthusiastic Elena.

"You guys are SO cute!" she squealed.

Reno laughed as Elena dragged them over to cut the cake. "So, you want me ta squish it in Costan tradition, Laney?"

Oh yes, the one tradition Rude would probably hope he WOULDN'T remember, the Costan one of shoving the cake in each other's faces instead of feeding it to each other in a sane manner.

"Yeah!" Elena cheered.

At the exact same time, Rude protested. "No!"

Reno grinned, twisting the bit of cake as he did so in order to get the frosting as much over Rude's mouth as he could, even his little goatee, letting Elena snap a shot before he began to kiss his all up and down his face with tiby cat-like licks to clean the frosting up.

"Reno..." Rude growled, but there really was no hostility behind it. More of a warning that Rude WOULD find a way to get him back. Oh yes. He would. After Reno finished licking his face. And maybe a few other parts. Down boy, there were other people present.

Reno gave him that cheeky smirk that always got the Prince Albert to rise straight to attention.

Rude surprised everyone, himself included, when he grabbed Reno, wrapped his arms around the redhead's back, dipped him backwards, and kissed him soundly. Rather soundly. With tongue. Lots of tongue. THAT would teach him not to tease his new husband.

Reno gave just as good right back, that cheeky smirk never fading, though he himself was now rather hard.

When Rude stood them both back up, he found that he was nearly out of breath, but feeling rather nice. He turned his head quickly when he heard Elena's catcall, something he didn't catch the all the words to: just 'honeymoon', 'lucky little shit', and he swore she mentioned his piercing.

Rufus actually LAUGHED and dragged Tseng into his lap.

Rude's mouth opened in shock. He knew Tseng and Rufus were together, but he'd never seen them do anything more than just casual, easily explained off touching. It was... a little odd to see them like they were.

Tseng of course blushed very deeply. ..and asked Rufus how much he'd had to drink at the reception.

Speaking of drinks... Rude was thirsty. He steered Reno towards the bar, asking him what he wanted.

"Beam n' coke, yo."

Rude handed the redhead his drink, then picked up his own, Captain and coke. He'd decided to take it a little easy until later in the evening. Didn't want to be smashed before dinner.

Rufus was busy committing "Sexual Harassment" at the moment so he probably wouldn't care how drunk they got.

Rude led Reno over to a little table to sit down. He pulled his lover onto his lap, making sure that Reno felt just how happy he was to be there. Well, maybe not THERE exactly, but there in general.

"Hehe, looks like we might not make it outta here, eh? Man, lookit the boss. Almost can't even see Tseng's dot, Rufus is swallowing so much of his face."

Rude could just stare. He'd NEVER seen either of them like that before. Someone please pick his jaw up from the floor before someone steps on it?

"Yo, Rude, if your jaw drops much lower you'll dislocate it." Reno laughed outrageously.

"Do you see that?" he asked, still unable to take his eyes from where Rufus' hand seemed to disappear under Tseng's dress shirt.

"Yeah, and Laney's snappin' pics in case they forget they were makin' out at our reception."

"That girl is nothing but trouble," Rude said, shaking his head a little.

Reno laughed. "Yeah, she is, but she's how we finally admitted how we felt about each other, so we really owe her. You remember how she shoved us together at the boss's 19th birthday party? That was 6 monhs or so after the boss n' broke up."

Rude remembered. The little blonde girl literally shoved them together, muttering something like, "I you're going to dance around each other, at least dance WITH each other. Geez."

Reno chuckled, and they come back serving the food. ..after supper the rest of the reception passes by in a blur, then they are leaving the reception hall for the limo Rufus had arranged for them to have when Elena commands the Rice Brigade.

Rude chuckled when a few pieces of rice stuck to his goatee, but plain out laughed loudly at the amount stuck in Reno's spikey hair.

"Ah shit, " he cursed when a bunch of birds came down out of the tree above the reception hall to try to feed on the rice."I swear, you shit in my hair I'm goin' huntin!"

Rude continued to laugh, almost unable to help his partner shoo away the birds. "Let's go," he said, "Don't want them to eat you alive before I get a

"M'just sweet that way."

"Yeah, yeah," Rude said, helping Reno into the limo. He waved at Elena, saluted Tseng and Rufus, then shut the door.

Reno curled into him, riding high, kissing him thoroughly. "You have no idea how happy I am, yo. ..I am the luckiest little shit in the world yo have you."

"So Elena told me," Rude said, blush covering his cheeks and ears. "In great detail."

"Not just that, yo. ..it's much much more." And his face got serious. "You've watched my back through so much, yo. ..kept me safe not only from outside threats, but from myself, too. I owe you so damn much, an' I got no way to repay it, but ta give you me, for whatever little that's worth."

"Worth about..." Rude paused, then raised his hand that now held a ring. He was going to have to get used to that. "About this much, I think." He smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

He smiles, eyes tearing, he knew Rude was a much better more stable man and Turk both than he was, no matter his past. He really didn't feel himself worthy of someone so decent. "I jus'. .. I don't understand what someone so good sees in someone like

Rude leaned in and kissed Reno's nose tenderly. "You don't have to understand," he said. "Just know that I love you." He smiled sweetly, gently nipping at Reno's nose. "And I'm not that good. You know that."

"Damn sight better than me.. .you don't let people give you shit, you fight back. ..insteada cowering into someone else."

"I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather have 'cower' into me," Rude said genuinely. "Besides, how am I supposed to feel protective if you don't let me protect you?"

Reno smiles a bit. "don't wanna get too dependant. ..scareda doin' that 'cause there'll be times I gotta face shit on my own."

"Not really," Rude said, admiring the ring on his finger. He was starting to get used to it. "Doesn't this mean neither of us are ever really on our own anymore?" He glanced at Reno before going back to looking at the ring.

"Yeah. ..you're right. . .they saw that silver haired asshole few hours ago in town, n' more kids got sick. ..wonder if there's a connection there?"

Rude rolled his eyes. "Reno. This is supposed to be our honeymoon. We CAN take a day off for that."

"Sorry. .just worried for the boss. .."

"Tseng will take care of him," Rude said, then pulled Reno a little closer on his lap. "Now, what is it that husbands are supposed to be doing now?" He smirked.

He kissed him quite fiercely with a soft, needy moan.

"Exactly," Rude moaned into Reno's mouth. He really did love that mouth. The rest of Reno, too, but that mouth was just... he couldn't even try to put words to it.

"Gods, I love you so fuckin' much. .don't deserve ya, an' it's hard not to wonder when th'other shoe's gonna drop." He cuddles into him, fingers finding that "spot" that drove him batty.

"Reno," he moaned, voice dropping to that tone that meant the redhead was in for an interesting night. He paused, fingers going to Reno's chin to lift his face. He wanted to look into his partner's eyes. "Anything you want tonight, you can have. I'm all yours."

Reno smiled while looking into his eyes. "Jus'...jus love me yo. ..promise me nothin's ever gonna take you from me, or me from you. .even if it's false promises, I don't care. .."

"It's me and you, Reno," Rude paused, taking a deep breath before finishing. "Forever."

The next kiss was even more fierce than the last. ..tounge pressing for entrance, and when it finds it a deep moan comes from him.

Rude pulled Reno flush against him, feeling the hardness between his partner's leg pressing against his stomach. His hands travelled up and down Reno's back, then carefully removed the jacket in the way.

Reno whispers "I love you" into every inch of flesh he can reach. .when they reached the inn they just barely got to their room before Reno was feverishly removing the expensive suits as quickly as he could. 


	12. Chapter 12

When they were both naked, Rude leaned back, falling onto the bed, taking Reno down on top of him. "I love you," he whispered into the redhead's ear before lightly licking the shell of it.

Reno gave a hitching gasp before turning him over onto the bed, sticking his head between Rude's cheeks. ..his tounge finding that tight entry, licking around the outside. "fuck you taste so good. .."

Rude squirmed. Feeling Reno's tongue there was nice, but tickled just a little. He felt the muscle flick over his taint, and he cried out, pressing his hips into the bed. He felt Reno's tongue press there again, and within breaths he was gasping for the next one.

Reno smiled. "Does that feel good, yo?" before diving back into it, the smile the dark flesh hid cheeky as all get out. The motions of his tongue slowed down.

"Fuck," was all Rude could say, and say was a rather relative term. It was more of a vocalisation of a quickly expelled breath. He was torn between pressing himself against the bed to alleviate the pressure and pressing back against Reno for more of that delicious feeling.

Reno then turned him over, mouth diving to his cock with a hunger few could muster, all teeth and tongue, little mewling moans rising up. .this was the day he'd awaited for so many years. ..he was going to lay claim once and for all. Rude was HIS, his, and no one else or nothing else could have him.

Rude just groaned. He was lost in the whirlwind sensations that were his redheaded lover. And Reno was keeping the rhythm just erratic enough to keep Rude from getting off too soon.

"Whose are you?" He whispered. "Say it. . .whose husband and lifelong mate are you now?"

Rude groaned an incoherent noise. He writhed. It was almost all he could do. Almost.

"Yours," he ground out, voice sounding terribly hoarse.

Reno smiled, putting his arms around the big man as he laid claim once again, driving him home with no preamble and despite the tiny electric shocks of pain that accompanied it, it felt so good. "and I'm yours, yo. .. "

Rude's eyes slammed open. He wasn't even aware that they were shut. His mouth worked, but no sounds came out. He was either in excrutiating pain or unbelievable pleasure. Guess which one was the cas

Reno's soft moans echoed in the room.. .he felt like he was ggoing to simply float away. "God. .." his head tilted itself back, exposing that pale, elegant throat. "you feel like heaven. .."

Rude growled, unsure where the noise exactly came from. More. He needed more. He flipped them over so Reno was on the bottom, not disconnecting their union in doing so. He pressed deeply into the redhead, loving the way he squirmed. He moved quickly, thrusting in and out of his lover with strong, purposeful strokes.

Reno's breath became tiny gasps, fresh mewls of pleasure rising from the slender form. .."gods. .."

A loud shout was the only warning Reno got before Rude's cock spasmed inside him, the large man coming powerfully and pressing so deep it would seem he were trying to climb into the redhead's skin.

Reno too screamed. ..that echoing screech of pleasure ringing from him as he painted the bedsheets white. .. body twitching.

Rude collapsed, the driving power of his orgasm leaving him the equivalent of a pile of mush.

Reno laid his head into Rude's chest, "You're mine. ..I'm yours. ." the wonder in his voice held an awed tinge to it. "Gods, I love you."

"Love you, too," Rude muttered, still trying to get his brain back into functioning order. He wasn't even concerned about the dirty status of the bedsheets... yet.

Reno's eyes fluttered, closing gently, exhaustion taking him into its folds. "Wonder.. how long it'll be until Tseng and the boss are like this?"

"Soon," Rude said hoarsely. He knew that, if by some miracle, Rufus' illness were cured, it would be approximately less than one hour afterwards that he and Tseng would be screwing like minks.

... Minks? He was definitly hanging out with his lover too much, picking up some of his speech patterns... but only mentally.

"Never thought it would turn out that way. ..never thought the boss would get sick, either. ..shit. ..always thought he was immortal."

Rude shook his head, indicating that he really didn't want to go down that path of thought. They would find a miracle cure. They would. Even if it took forever, they would find it.

Reno was finally quiet, body twitching against Rude's chest as his face settled into a soft, exhausted smile.

Seeing that the subject was dropped, Rude nodded once to himself before giving in to the sleep tugging at his senses. He was exhausted, mentally and physically.

The next morning he awoke slowly. ..hazily. ..lights clicking on slowly inside his head. .. one of them being that his stomach was growling fiercely.

Rude was already up, dressed in boxers and attempting to figure out how to operate their hotel room's coffee pot. At least the hotel offered premium blend coffee grounds.

"Button on the right, yo." was all Reno said, his eyes still closed and lids still heavy with sleep.

Rude pressed said button and, wonder of wonders, the bitter smell of coffee started coming from the little white machine. Rude lit a cigarette, leaning against the little kitchenette as he waited for his morning lifeblood.

Reno's eyes finally fluttered open as the smell of the elixer of the gods filtered into the room. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, last night had been without dreams, a good thing, in his mind.

Rude stared at the coffee pot, willing the last drops to finish dropping so he could pour him and Reno a cup.

"Come on," he muttered, taking another drag from his cigarette.

" 'm'sore, yo. ..but a good sore. ..a sore that says we're each other's." He stretched like a cat, sitting up in the bed stark naked, and not caring.

Rude looked up and offered Reno a sleepy smile, pointedly giving his redhead the once over before going back to staring at the coffee pot.

Finally! He surpressed the whoop of happiness as he poured a mug for himself and one for Reno.

Reno took the mug with a nod, sipping the dark liquid, he normally didn't take it black, but he needed the boost this morning. He was, in a word, exhausted.. but it was getting better.

Rude added his customary cream and sugar until the black liquid looked more of a tan colour. He took a large gulp, then smiled that wonderful smile that was reserved for either post orgasmic bliss or coffee.

"Morning," he finally said.

"morning. ..tiring week, yo. .Can't believe it. ..friday was that mission that exploded in our faces. ..Saturday Corneo, monday Meteor. ..Tuesday we find out the boss is sick. ..but now. ..now we're married. ..fuck. .."

"Regrets?" Rude asked, finishing his cigarette and coffee. He knew Reno wouldn't have any, but it never hurt to ask.

"None yo. ..just. .fuckin' whirlwind, tryin' ta procress it all."

Rude nodded, padding his way towards the bathroom. What with not cleaning up after their activities the night before, he was feeling kind of sticky and gross.

Reno followed, grunting as he tried to run his fingers through his hair and it was clumped.

Rude turned the water on, happy to stand under the spray for at least a few minutes while he waited for Reno to join him.

Reno steps inside, as the spray hits he sighs in contentment. ..the water feel sos wonderful.

Rude went about their usual shower routine, shampooing and conditioning Reno's hair, then washing them both. There wasn't so much desire in that touch as much as... comfort. He wasn't touching to arouse, he was touching to just be close to the redhead. It was nice.

"Rude...what's gonna happen to us now?" It was a thought which had played on his mind since Shinra had fallen to pieces in front of their eyes. "If the boss DOESN'T get through this. ..how are WE supposed to rebuild? I don't understand why he has so much faith in us."

Rude shrugged. He wasn't really sure of anything anymore, after the week they'd had. Well, anything other than Reno. And the thought of that made him laugh. To think, the only person he was sure of was the same person who tried his hardest to be totally unpredictable. He chuckled again, shaking his head as he finished rinsing them off and shut off the water.

"I just. ..don't know if I can do this. ..'slot of responsibility. . ." He hated how sometimes his mind just wouldn't let things go.

"You can," Rude said, stepping onto the bathmat and wrapping a towel around his waist. "And you will." He handed Reno the other towel as he moved to brush his teeth. It was verbatum what Reno always told Elena whenever the blonde thought she couldn't make it through whatever mission they were on.

He smiled softly, then shook his head, "I'm no leader, yo. ..not like HE is. ..He's gonna be the great white God when this is said and done, alive to appreciate it or not. Somea his money has been goin' into tryin' ta rebuild and help the kids the company indirectly hurt."

You're more of a leader than you think," Rude said around his toothbrush. He remember how much Elena had looked up to Reno, her chastising him occuring only because he was so high on that pedistal she placed him on.

Reno again smiled, cheeks pinkening a bit at the praise. People always thought more of him than he did of himself, it had been that way since he'd been very young, a by-product of a destructive homelife with a father who had torn the kid down every chance he had.

Rude finished with his teeth, walking by Reno and pressing a chaste kiss against his cheek as he did so. He went towards their bags, searching for something to wear.

"What's on the agenda today?" he asked, figuring if he knew what they were doing, he could dress appropriately.

"Breakfast first. .then beach, yo. ..had dreamless sleep last night. ..gonna take advantage of a good night."

Rude nodded, pulling some sunblock out of his bag. He applied it everywhere, except his groin. It wasn't Costa Del Sol with its stretch of nude beaches, so he wouldn't have to worry about another sunburn THERE. He pulled on his loose swim trunks, bright orange with green piping at the bottom of the legs, and added a black tanktop.

Reno rustled through until he found his black thong bikini, slathering sunblock all over himself, he slid the thong on with a wide grin.

Rude knew exactly why Reno wore the thong. It was one part the redhead liking the attention it gave him and at least five parts him liking the way Rude possessively hovered over him.

"You're not going to breakfast dressed like that," he challenged.

"course not, gonna slide my shorts on over it. .. this is just for the beach."

His shorts? For the love of... not THOSE shorts. Rude was tempted on more than one occassion of doing laundry to just 'misplace' the piece of jean material that Reno called 'shorts'. The article of clothing was more holes than anything else.

Reno slid his well-worn shorts on, the ones with a strategically placed hole right over his right ass cheek.

Rude groaned. He had a very love/hate relationship with those shorts. Ah well. He couldn't chastise Reno for his clothing choices. He could, however, beat the daylights out of anyone whose gaze lingered a little longer than Rude deemed appropraite.

"Let's go," he said, putting on his sunglasses.

Reno's face ghosted a smile as they walked out onto the beach, something had him feeling fragile, even if he wasn't quite sure what it was, but he was doing his damndest to simply go one as if everything was normal.

Rude was as well. He knew Reno's unease by the set of the redhead's shoulders, and rather than ignore it, he just placed his hand in Reno's and walked them down the boardwalk. It was nothing like Costa Del Sol's boardwalk, but it was nice nonetheless.

He noticed a vendor selling chocolate covered frozen bananas. He nodded his head at the man's direction, asking, "Sound like breakfast to you?"

Reno nodded."Used ta love those things when I was kid. .."

Rude smiled, purchasing a pair of bananas from the vendor and leaving a few gil tip. He handed one to Reno, then took his free hand and led him towards the sand.

Reno settled himself into the sand, watching the people walk by. ..then someone he saw threw his mind for a loop. .. breath coming almost un naturally fast. ..that face, it was one that had haunted his dreams, though he hadn't had a place or time with which to have a frame of reference for it. . .until now. "Rude. ..he was. ." and he couldn't get the rest out, his throat closing up.

"Who was...?" Rude asked, surveying the 20 or so people already on the beach. He didn't see anyone familiar that could have caused Reno to do that.

Reno pointed at the dark haired man who looked to be just relaxing, two pretty girls, one on each side of him. ..and it would hit Rude then. ..it was the guard who'd held the big cats that day. .a scar between his eyes indicating he'd been injured during the explosion at that mansion. ..how had he escaped?

"You want him, or should I?" he asked, cracking his knuckles. He was wondering how many, if any, had escaped the explosion. There was something to be said about cockroaches afterall...

Reno answered the question with a roar and rush with his emr. .."You son of a bitch mother fucker. ..you are so damn lucky I haven't told my partner some of the things I've begun remembering about what you and your buddies did to me while I was drugged and tied up." The larger man didn't even have time to react as Reno swung the weapon, dealing blow upon blow,sending the women scattering in panic and screaming.

Rude just sat back, briefly admiring the girl who fled the scene minus her top. Sure, he was a married man, but that didn't mean he couldn't look, right? He kept his eyes and ears open, ready to step in if anything should happen to his redhead.

Reno took a vicious blow to the back of the head, happening so quickly as to leave him spinning to the sand "Would you like us to show him?" Reno suddenly was held down by his hair, and though it couldn't be seen from the back, except for the way the man's bikini briefs were bunched in the back, he had pulled the front down.

Rude was insanely glad for his strength, agility and extra training as he used all those to stand and bolt towards Reno and the man. He charged at them, moving far more quickly than he looked like he could. He was NOT dealing with shit like that on his honeymoon. When he reached the scum, he grabbed the man's hair and lifted him slowly, as if daring him to rip out his own hair.

Reno got up, shuddering, staring his demons right in the face. . .a flood of memories threatening to send him spiralling into panic, but no fucking way. ..instead, when he snapped it was in fury. ..an insane berzerker rage in which he beat the guy to death while Rude was holding him. ..then continued to beat on the corpse even after the man had obviously expired.

"Reno." Rude's voice was sharp and authorative as he dropped the new corpse he was holding. He did NOT want to have to subdue the redhead, especially with what was left of the people around. It might not end pretty.

Reno stood down, but that berzerker gleam still glittered in his eyes. ..his breath coming in ragged pants as if his control was so tenuous that the slightest impetus might push him to madness again.  
m "Stay." Rude's command left no room for arguement. He picked up the corpse by the arms, dragging it off the sand and towards the boardwalk where the first police officer had arrived on the scene.

"What happened?" the man asked, eying Rude supiciously.

"Turk business," Rude grumbled, showing the man his ID.

Reno still stood there. ..he looked as if he was just WAITING for someone to make the mistake of touching him. . .he was tired of people taking advantage of him, and he'd kill the next one to do it.

The police officer scrutinized Rude's ID, sniffing once as he finally decided it was legitimate. "Well," he said, suspicious tone replaced by an almost haughty one. "What would you like done with the body, sir?"

Rude shrugged. "Get it off the beach. It's in my sun."

Finally the crash came and he fell onto his bottom, the rage bottoming out, a roaring sound filling his ears, darkness flickering around the edges of his vision, but he fought the urge to pass out with all of the strength he had.

THAT taken care of, Rude turned, walking calmly back towards Reno. When he saw the redhead collapse, he fought the urge to run to him. He was a Turk; Turks did not run like mothers running to their children who had a scraped knee. Okay, so Reno was experiencing something a little worse than a scraped knee, but still.

Reno's energy went into steadying his breathing and fighting back the noise which threatened to swallow him. . .nausea chewing at his belly, he leaned over, the banana he'd just eaten coming back up, his eyes went to Rude's, full of apology.

"Guess you're not hungry anymore," Rude said, trying to make lighter of the situation. He offered his hand to help Reno up. "How about a walk to clear your head?"

"Ya might need ta support me for a few minutes. ..tryin' not to pass out, yo."

Rude nodded, threading his arm behind Reno to wrap around his waist. He walked slowly, allowing Reno to set the pace as he headed towards a less populated area of the beach.

Reno as his vision finally cleared sat next to Rude. "I'm sure by their actions back there you already know what they did, yo. ..I was drugged at the time, so what I knew. ..was only in bits and pieces."

"Doesn't make it right," Rude said, making small sand hills with his feet. He loved the feeling of sand between his toes... must have been all those visits to aunts and uncles in Costa Del Sol and the small number of childhood years spent growing up there.

"No, it ain't. .. it's startin' ta resurface. ..'sgonna be a rough few days, but it's gotta come up an' out like everything else. You ready to deal with it?"

"Do I have a choice?" Rude asked. As soon as the words left his lips, he was certain Reno would mistake their meaning. He was aiming for saying that Reno was stuck with him, regardless of what happened. But, Rude knew that Reno would take them to mean that he felt trapped by Reno's emotional baggage.

"Rude man. ..never asked ya take on mah burdens, but I love the Hell outta you. ..I guess. . .what you're tryin' ta say is my burdens are yours too now, eh?"

"Exactly." Whew. Rude did not have Reno's ability to say exactly what he meant, working more in tone and directness than anything more flowery. He was glad that, for once, Reno understood exactly what he meant. He pushed his foot through the sand until it touched Reno's pale foot.

Reno nodded, a smile coming to his face as the urge to pass out faded completely. .. .he set his head on Rude's shoulder.

It was nice. It was like they had their own private stretch of beach. Rude interlaced his fingers with Reno's in the sand and just watched the waves gently roll in.

"Did I kill that fucker? I barely remember anything when I get in that stae."

"Yeah," Rude said. "You did." He was debating going for a swim, but he wasn't sure how cold the water was... and he was NOT a fan of shrinkage.

"Good. ..'slong as the big fish didn't escape we're good."

Speaking of fish... "Swim?" Rude asked, tilting his head towards the blue water.

"let me test it first" he suck his feet in, then nodded with a grin.

Good. If Reno, Mr. Anything-Below-70-Is-Arctic, said it was acceptable, there would be no shrinkage in the water. Rude returned the redhead's smile, then took a few quick steps into the water before diving under.

Reno's bare-but-for-a-thread ass poked up out of the water ever once in a while as he moved like a shark under the water. This time. ..was simply idyllic, but he knew there was no way in Hell it would last.

Rude swam powerfully out far enough to where there was no way he could touch the bottom, then floated on his back, enjoying the soothing sounds of the waves, the wind, and the birds.

Reno swam until his stomach started to growl again., then swam up to the shore, his milky pale skin gleaming in the sun

Rude still floated out in the water, the waves gently guiding him back towards the shore very slowly. He was so calm, so relaxed, he was nearly asleep.

Reno lay under the umbrella, slightly dozing, the warm sun felt so wonderful.

Rude was finally shaken from his almost sleeplike state when his back brushed against the sand. He stretched, his movements causing him to dip below the water. He stood, padding slowly across the sand towards Reno.

"Wish it could stay like this forever, yo"

Rude nodded, foregoing the towel Reno was laying on and flopping directly onto the sand. "I feel so lazy," he said, trying not to get sand in his mouth.

Unfortunatly, it was not to be, Rude's phone rang.

"Hello?" Rude said, lazily. While he waited for the response, he brushed some of the sand off the side of his face.

The voice was Tseng's "The president had an extremely bad attack this morning, he wishes your presence at Healin as soon as possible, he realizes this is your honeymoon, but he wishes to get the last of the paperwork cleared away just in case. Once it is done you two may return to your honeymoon."

And to think, Rude was thinking of suggesting taking a few days to fly to Costa Del Sol for a change of scenery. "Yes, sir," he said, straightening immediately. He hung up his phone, then stood, brushing off what sand he could. At Reno's questioning look, he said, "The President is on his way to Healin."

Reno cursed softly. ..somehow. ..somehow he'd known. "Shit. ..every time we leave him alone. .."

Though Rude would know Reno meant when the Turks seperated. ..something bad always seemed to happen. ..

Rude nodded, deciding that a quick dip back in the water was the fastest way to get the sand from THERE. He dove under the water, surfacing with a light sputter before walking back to shore.

"Guess it's a good thing we brought our uniforms, ne?"

Rude chuckled slightly, shaking off the excess water, knowing the warm sun would dry the rest. "Let's go," he said, leaning down to give Reno a quick kiss before he started walking back towards the hotel.

Reno followed, the tiredness still pulled at him from earlier, but no way in HELL was that going to stop him.

They made excellent time back to the hotel, but still found that Elena, Tseng and the President had already left for Healin.

"Pack up," Rude said as he opened the door to their room. "We'll eat, then leave."

Reno nodded, packing everything up. ..his eyes held the tiniest hint of sadness in them, as if in shutting the door to the room it was saying good-bye to times they had cherished. "M'ready."

Rude nodded, having exchanged his swim trunks for a loose pair of jeans. He helped Reno carry their things out of the room, then walked down to the office to check themselves out.

"Why do I have a feelin'. .things're gonna get worse before they get better?"

"Reno," Rude said, turning to smile at his partner walking behind him. "Can you not get any feelings for a few days?"

"Thinkin'. ..'bout our future. ..watching your whole life fall down. ..it's scary, yo."

"We'll get through it," Rude said, offering Reno his one free hand to hold. "We always do."

Reno took his hand and nodded. "we got each other. ..'course we will."

Rude started putting their bags into the back of the helicopter that Tseng, Rufus and Elena had left them. While he was a fully compitent pilot, he liked to leave the flying to Reno. Besides, he always got to drive the car; why couldn't he let Reno drive the helicopter?

Reno as they winged off seemed to be thinking. ..about a lot. ..would things stabalize if. ..'No Reno' he told himself 'not if, but when Rufus recovers' Was bringing children into lives such as theirs wise? so many questions, ones he had no answers to.

Rude just sat back in his seat, trying to plan how to juggle his duties as a Turk, his duties to Reno, and his duties to himself.

As they landed, he began to carry in his bags. .Rufus looked haggard, his right eye wrapped where the bruises had taken over that side of his forehead, it seemed the eye itself had been affected now. .and he had a cloak draped over him which concealed what was on his chest that the jacket did not. ..the only lesion still visible that on the back of his right hand.

"Sir?" Rude said when he walked in, shocked at how far Rufus' illness had progressed.

"Stable. .for now, thank you." his voice held authoiry despite how exhausted he was.

Rude decided it most prudent to leave the subject at that. "Our room?" he asked instead, indicating the bags he and Reno were carrying.

Rufus pointed toward the room next to his "Tseng of course is staying in mine, but I want the two of you close as well at all times. Elena will be at the end of the hall.I wish to spare the little girl as much of the pain of watching my decline as possibe."

Rude nodded. Elena was a sweet girl at heart. Something like watching her President deteriorate would traumatize her.

"So, Em's stil with her, then?"

"For now, yes," Tseng said, stepping in from the next room. "But the girl will not be able to stay with her."

"That'll break her heart, yo. ..she loves that girl."

"I know," Tseng replied, dropping his gaze to the floor. "However, Elena is a Turk. Her duties as such come before any personal duties."

Rude knew Tseng's words would strike a nasty chord with Reno. He braecd himself for the arguement that was to come. 


	13. Chapter 13

Reno much to his credit didn't say a word, merely turned and stormed outside, a pissed off and rather hurt expression crossing his face as he did so.

Elena stormed out of her room. Ooo was she PISSED, and it showed on her face, a very unusual occurance. "With all due respect sir, you're wrong," She pinned him with those flaming eyes "In case you hadn't forgotten whose line I came from. ..my great aunt Aya was a Turk, and she had a family, and she handled both quite admirably, thank you very much. Her nephew, her adopted son, was Cynthia and I's father, and he also handled both responsibilities perfectly fine. And you better not even GIVE me that 'Being a Turk is more than a job, it's a lifestyle' bullshit, because again I will point out to you the things I've just stated." With that she jabbed a finger in the direction Reno had gone "Besides, sir, that man out there, even you must admit, is one of the finest of us. But, he is having a very rough time of it. How good do you think it is going to be for his mental stability should you send away the last blood kin he has?"

miRude frowned, then bowed to both Tseng and Rufus. "Sir," he said, moving to go after Reno. He was SO not getting into the middle of THAT firefight.

"Elena," Tseng said, tone indicating that he WOULD be listened to. "Your great aunt Aya WAS a fine Turk, however she did not start her family until the was 35... And as for your father, he was raising two future Turks." Tseng paused. "If I remember correctly, your mother was the one who raised you more than your father, wasn't she?" Tseng spared a glance at Rufus before continuing. "As for Reno... his abilities as a Turk are not being called into question. His mental stability, as you are well aware, is not at all condusive to helping raise a child." Tseng's fingers went to the bridge of his nose. He could feel a real headache coming on.

"The girl will be taken care of... just not by a Turk."

"Fine then sir. . I'm out of here, if she will not be raised by a Turk. ..she will however be raised by ME. If it takes me no longer being one to raise her, then you will find my resignation papers on your desk in the morning. You KNOW what my career means to me sir. .but you can also see. ..what not only the stability of my friend. .. but the stability of that little girl means to me." She faced down her superior, and one could see she meant every word.

Rufus broke in. "Children," he said, voice forceful. "This is getting us nowhere." He turned to Elena. "Tseng is right. The Turks and travelling with us is no place for a girl her age to grow up right in. You can't deny that." He paused to take a shakey breath, then continued. "However, I am unable to accept your resignation at this time, Elena. I need all available Turks to help me rebuilt ShinRa Electric Power Company. We can and will find her a suitable foster home until the rebuilding is complete. Is that acceptable to you?"

She nodded, but one could tell it HURT. ..

Reno on the other hand was pacing in fury "Fucking asshole. ..he knew. ..he KNEW what I had planned once all this craziness was over and he pops off with this. .."

Rude lit a cigarette, handing it to Reno before lighting one for himself. He took a long drag from it, then spoke. "Tseng is under a lot more stress than we are right now." It was the only excuse he could think of for Tseng's behavior. Normally, the man was just chilly, but his words that time were brutally cold.

"Doesn't give him an excuse to hur the people he should be turning to."

"The President's condition is his top priority," Rude tried again. "Remember how much it affected you when I took that bullet three years ago? Remember how they told you I might not walk again? Remember how you were?" He paused, preferring not to bring up his biggest failure as a Turk. His voice softened. "Remember how much of a mess you were?"

He nods. "Yeah. ..but I didn't tear Elena's head off when she tried to help me, either..I didn''t take her dreams and tear them to shreds."

Rude wanted to say that the boss needed a day off, but he knew that wasn't going to happen ANYTIME soon. "The President will explain it to her. She listens to him."

Reno nodded again, taking out his cell, trying to reach his uncle. "I sure as Shit hope Myron survived Meteor, because hes the only family I trust with her. ..and she sure as FUCK isn't going outside the clan with the exception of Elena if I have anything to say about it."

Rude grunted, purchasing a newspaper from the machine at the bottom of the stairs.

Elena walked into the room, quiet sobs from her and shouted denials and then crying from the girl could be heard as she broke the news.

As Rude read the middle of the paper, a small smile broke across his face. Here we go. "Reno," he said, offering the redhead the paper. "How about this?" He pointed to a small article about a certain spikey haired former nemisis of theirs and his girlfriend with the massive boobs opening an orphanage for those children left behind from Meteor and the illness.

"Maybe. ..but will he do it? He hates me, yo."

Elena strides out now, her face still wet, but her eyes hard as stone. "I hope you're proud of yourselves for breaking that little girl's heart." she said before she strode outside.

Rufus just shook his head, knowing that while it could have gone better, it had to be done.

"He doesn't hate you," Rude said. He took a closer look at the grainy picture. Yup, Cloud's girl sure had a nice set. "Besides, he's one of the good guys. He has to do it."

"You and Boobs get along better than I do with her. ..could you call her? Maybe she'll listen to you."

Elena stormed by them without a word. ..one could see she was on the verge of breaking down again as she had when she'd told Em she couldn''t stay.

"You take care of her," he said, nodding towards the rapidly moving Elena. "I'll see what I can do." He turned his back to Reno, feeling mildly uncomfortable calling the object of his past facination in front of his current love interest.

Reno followed her, but wasn't sure he was the best to handle this, he actuallly AGREED with her. "hey. .." he set a hand on her shoulder.

Rude rocked his weight back and forth as the phone rang. "Pick up... no, don't pick up... dammit..." he muttered to himself.

Elena spun around in a fury of movement. "I don't need your sympathy, Reno. She's YOUR cousin, for chrissakes."

"I know you loved her, Elena. ..I know. ..and I agree with you, it's not right to let you and her bond and THEN suddenly say something. I long ago accepted if I was gonna have kids, it would be after I was too old to serve."

"Last I checked, Reno, YOU were not a woman." Elena's words were venomous.

Rude took a deep breath as he listened to the answering machine's instructions to leave a message. He could do this. He could. And not hang up. Really.

"yo, don't kill the guy who's trying to help you here." Held up his hands defensively. "Just 'cause I'm not doesn't mean I didn't hope to adopt a couple someday. 'course we know how that's gonna go over now." he grunts, he was as furious with Tseng as she was.

"Hello, Miss Lockheart?" Rude said to the machine. "This is Rude... from the Turks. Um, I read in the paper that you and Cloud have this home for kids, and... well... Reno and I found this girl, her parents... and Meteor... yeah. Just... just give me a call when you get this, please."

"My father was a good man," Elena said, almost as if she were convincing herself instead of Reno. "A good Turk, and a good father."

"He had ta be to have you turn out as well as ya have. Make no mistake. . .you're not only a good Turk, but a good person, damn sight less fucked up than I am."

Almost as soon as he hung up, Rude's phone rang. He jumped, answering it. "Rude... Uh, yes, Miss Lockheart... Oh, Tifa. Sorry... yes, we do..."

Elena sighed, her breath coming out shakily. "But I never saw him..." She paused to take another breath. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure, babe."

"I used to hate the Turks," Elena said softly, looking at her shoes.

"Yes, a little girl," Rude said, adjusting his tie as he held the phone in a tight grip. "We can't keep her with us right now... Yes, temporary, until things clear up..."

"I heard your sister was really competitive. ..she had to be better than you in everything."

Elena laughed ruefully. "I didn't make the cut the first time. She did. I was... I was so MAD at her, and at ShinRa..."

"Thank you, ma'am," Rude said, finally breathing before he hung up the phone.

"You weren't ready then, but you are now. And I gotta say youre better than she was. You still have a heart."

Rude walked back up the stairs to report to Tseng and Rufus before he tracked down Reno and Elena. He would need the superiors' approval first anyway.

"She never had a heart," Elena said bitterly. Sibling rivalry much?

He smiles softly "You want to have proof how good a Turk you are? You remember that mission 6 months ago, placing bombs in front of the camp of ninja at the bone village that had been givin' the boss all SORTS of trouble? The one where I got kidnapped while placing the last one? You saved my bacon back there. ..They'd drugged me to the fuckin' gills, an' if you hadn't happened to notice I was missing when you did, I woulda died."

"I KNOW I'm a good Turk," she said, then sighed. "But a good mother...?" Another sigh. "Maybe the President was right."

"That kid LOVES you, 'Lena. ..you're probably a better mother than anyone else I know. Hell, better than mine, an' she tried to protect me from the asshole she married."

Elena sighed again. "I know... I know... But--"

Rude's voice interrupted them. "Reno! Elena!"

"Yeah, partner?"

"Good news," he said, walking towards them with a slight smile on his face. "Elena's got a new mission."

"What new mission?"

Rude looked at Reno. "They'll do it." He paused. "Do you want to tell her, or should I?"

"What is going on?" Elena's tone indicated her irritation at being kept in the dark.

"Tifa's gonna take Em on for us until. .until things settle."

"She is?" Elena asked, unsure what to make of the new arrangements.

"You are to take her to the outskirts of Midgar," Rude said. "They'll keep an eye on her until you return."

"I'll escort her, if ya need me to. I gotta say goodbye to the squirt anyway."

"I think..." Elena sighed. Well, there was at least that, she supposed. "I'll take her. Alone. I'll be all right."

Reno nodded, though he looked a bit disappointed. It was obvious he loved the kid, too.

"You get to tell her you'll see her later," Rude said. "And Tseng's got a fact finding mission for us. We leave tomorrow."

"yeah. ..let's hope it doesn't blow up in m'face like last time."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Rude asked, instantly regretting his words. "Nevermind."

"Oh, bigots. ..guys with long needles an' nasty drugs. .."

"Giant death rocks from space..." Elena added before walking up the stairs to make the arrangements for her and Emily.

"Silver haired punks who accost you while at your favorite club."

"Dogs humping your leg in public!" Elena called back before finally getting out of earshot of the two men.

Rude just chuckled, shaking his head. Get those two together... and it will end with something humping something else's leg.

Reno dropped into thought for a moment as she left. "Yuffie said she saw that kid hangin' around Edge yesterday. ..ya know, the shanty town set up outside midgar? Yuffie said she saw the silver haired kid there."

"You spoke with Yuffie?" Rude asked. He didn't much care for the ninja girl. She was far too excitable, and far too... sticky-fingered.

"She keeps me updated on what's up when Spikey and Boobs won't talk to me. .anyway, 'just reason to be on guard."

Rude nodded. The silver haired guy who assaulted them was certainly reason to be on guard. But still... Yuffie? "You DID check your pockets when she left, right?"

"'course I did."

Rude nodded again. He then tilted his head towards the stairway leading back up to the President's room at the lodge. "We're going to have to go back up there sometime."

"yeah. . .just afraid I'll unload on Tseng right now."

"I'm sure the President did that already," Rude replied, picking up his newspaper. "But we can stay down here a little longer if you want." He opened it up to the comics section.

"might as well face the music, yo."

Rude gestured at the stairs in an 'after you' motion.

Reno mounted the stairs, yelling could be heard from the door. "sounds like he's still tearin' into him, yo."

"Then perhaps we should wait," Rude said, taking up shop leaning against one of the stairway's landings and opening his paper back up.

"Tseng, you didn't have to be so cruel. I understand the necessity of the child being taken care of elsewhere, but you were positivly icy. I love you like family, I understand the stresses you are under. ..the others are as well, however. you must remember you are not alone."

"Yes, sir," Tseng replied. What more could he say? Was he expected to watch the one true love of his life die and be stone? True, he was a reserved, dignified individual, but he could not be expected to be Atlas.

Rufus dropped the cloak for a moment pressing a kiss to his lover's lips gently. "I love you, Tseng, you know this. .but it cannot interfere with my duty to the rest of this ragtag family. . you know above all. ..as Turks you have become family. .I am new in the role of father figure, but I am coping as well as I can. I need all of you.".

Tseng thought to protest his supposed need of a father figure, being several years older than any of them. However, Rufus was right. "Have you ever wanted children, sir?" Tseng asked abruptly.

"I have. .. I will need to produce one someday as an heir. ..but I am nearly as awkward around them as Rude at times. Father didn't make it easy to know how one should act around them. .but with Em it was easy. She's a very sweet girl, very easy to love."

"Children... do not make things easy," Tseng said carefully. He paused, taking a breath. He had not been entirely honest about his fleeing of Wutai. True, the incident was in his record, accessable only to Rufus and himself, but there was a simple lie by omission that he had orchestrated. "You know I fled Wutai after the arranged marriage to a high ranking officer's daughter." He paused, unsure how to break the news. "However much I disliked the girl, however much I wanted to have nothing to do with her... as is Wutan tradition... the marriage WAS consummated, sir."

"So you do have one out there. . .somewhere. .." It put an entirely new spin on things. ..Tseng acted as he did. ..partly out of guilt. "We could find her and the child. ..if you wished to have contact with the child that is. It is of course your decision to make. I am simply letting you know. . .the option is there."

"According to the law of Wutai... I have no child." Tseng's words let a little of the full pain of his exodus from his homeland through. It wasn't just because of his protesting the feudal method of killing those higher than you to gain power, it wasn't his protest of arranged marriages and his belief in the concept of love found on one's own terms, part of his pain came from his leaving one of his own blood behind to bear the pain of his leaving.

"Things are changing there as well. ..Godo will not be in power forever, and his daughter despises the feudal law as much as it appears you do. I can guarantee you. ..forgiveness will come when she comes into power. And from the look of it she will take no consort, she wants to change the way things are instead of keeping the status quo."

"The boy suffers daily because of me," Tseng said ruefully. He hung his head in shame. "I am not fit to call myself his father."

"You left not because you wished to, but because you could not bring yourself to live a lie anymore. Something I understand as well as you do. That he paid for it is the fault of the system, and it is one that needs to change, just as Shinra needed to change."

"He is twelve now," Tseng said, voice almost wistful. He wondered absently if the boy looked like him, if there was anything in him that reminded others of Tseng.

"So tell me. ..is it really best for Reno to feel as you do now. .that he's not taken proper responsibility of his own blood due to things he cannot change? I know now is uncertain times. ..but he wishes to have legal responsibility for someone who is family to him as we are. I think. ..even if she cannot live with us in the meantime. ..he should have some legal say in what happens to her. He loves her."

"Reno is impetuous and rash. He has no idea what it takes to ensure a child's safety and wellbeing," Tseng argued. "He is far too much a child himself to be allowed care of another. It would be like the blind leading the blind, Rufus. I will NOT allow that to happen."

"He cannot become mature unless given the chance. You have always been too harsh with him Tseng, ever since the plate drop. .did you know. ..part of the reason for his breakdown in midgar during meteor was because of how hard you drive him?"

"Reno is the type that needs a firm hand," Tseng stated, as if he were actually the redhead's kin. "Without firmly set boundaries, he would be a danger to himself and everyone around him." Tseng took a breath. "As for his breakdown... the boy has always been a little... emotionally unstable."

"He also needs a tender hand and a willing shoulder sometimes. He also needs to be given responsibility He needs to feel useful, to feel needed. And he has changed, whether you see it or not. Sometimes you must look past your prejudice and see things for how they really are. He is a boy no longer, but a man. .. and a married man to boot."

Reno had heard that, his face paled a moment, then colored in fury. He'd forgiven and forgotten. ..but this took the cake. "fuck" he muttered.

"True, Reno is a married man, but his actions still are those of a reckless teenager," Tseng argued. He was not dropping the issue. Nope. Not in the least. "However, perhaps his union with Rude will give him enough maturity and foresight to change my opinion on the matter."

"Eavesdropping is unbecoming, Reno," Rude called from his position a few yards behind Reno. He smiled to himself, knowing that whatever Tseng and Rufus were discussing, it probably wasn't Reno's business... or he would find out soon enough.

"In this case. ..I heard more'n I wanted to yo."

"And he doesn't have the right to be a bit reckless considering his childhood? You and I both know well what he endured. ..if that has not earned him the right to occasional recklessness I do not know what has. ..besides. .. ,you can be just as reckless at times." Knew Tseng would know he referred to the reception. "And I know he'd not do damage to the child as his parents did to him."

"And had you forgotten, Mr Xiang" He had busted out Tseng's last name which was a bad sign." Have you forgotten who is in charge here?"

Tseng bit his tongue. Even though he was no longer part of Wutai's nobility, he HAD been raised to be such. "No, SIR. I have not." One could almost see the seething oozing from Tseng's pores.

"Leave 'em be, Reno," Rude warned, knowing that, if left to his own devices, the redhead would jump in and play all sides against the middle to prove his own point.

"I don't need ta jump in, the boss is doin' just as well for me, yo

"See that you do not...and as I said, as reckless as he is, he does not harm what is his own.It is something he takes pride in, and rightfully so."

"Reno..." Rude groaned. You couldn't discreetly hint anything at the redhead.

The discussion was over, but the issue still remained. Tseng would NOT let it go. He knew Reno could be trusted, counted on even, but the redhead still lacked the dicipline of Rude or the desire to please of Elena.

"If I say he gets to raise a family, he does, no matter your doubts...and I say he does. ..end of discussion, and end of issue for that matter, the decision is out of your hands"

And tact. Reno lacked tact, and decorum, and so many other things that Tseng had tried to instill in the redhead since day one of his acceptance into the Turks. "Yes, sir," Tseng said through gritted teeth. Up until Rufus' ascension to president, Tseng had been the surrogate father figure. However, with Rufus' decision to be such, Tseng was left feeling a little... lost, for lack of a better word. Or maybe 'put out' was better. Either or.

"I understand your doubts, believe me, I do. .but the man has been treated like a child ever since has been here. If you treat someone like a child he will act like one. Have some faith in him, Tseng. ..every child has to grow up sometime, each bird must eventually find its own wings. Give him the chance and the space to find his. ..you'll not regret it, I guarantee it."

"Or is it. .. simply that you wished the chance you did not have with your own son. ..and now that Reno has 'reached manhood' so to speak. ..letting go is hard?"

"Reno WAS a child when he arrived," Tseng said, knowing his arguement was irrelavent. He paused, letting Rufus' words sink in. He sighed, continuing, his voice quieter. "He is... I tried to instill values into him. I tried to guide him, forcefully at times, to become a better Turk..." 'a better man' was left unsaid.

"Your hand at times was too forceful. ..he was not just a child then.. .he was a TRAUMATIZED child...one who was in desperate need of love, You were too rough on him at times, and you lost out on a lot of the loyalty and love the boy had to offer. Do you remember. ..the argument the two of you had a month after he was recruited. .. he was going to tell you something then. He was going to thank you. ..for helping him, taking him off the streets. ..he was actually a little in love with you then. You scolded him. ..HARD. .over ONE missed signature on the paperwork he had turned in. ..he never said it, and the tie faded because you cut him off before he ever had a chance to speak.". .

Tseng refused to mention that ALL the new recruits seemed to be infatuated with him in some form or another. It was both too prideful and boasting... neither of which belonged in that discussion. He also refused to mention the old adage of 'spare the rod, spoil the child,' as he knew it would incite Rufus more, seeing how the late president kept that phrase literally at the forefront of his mind at all times concerning Rufus. "Which is why I partnered him with Rude..." Ah, Rude. If Reno was the black sheep of the Turks, Rude was by far the golden child. "I couldn't deal with his constant antics. I figured Rude would either get him out of my hair or set him straight."

"And yet you still continued to ride him harder than any of them, even Elena. He still loves you like a brother, believe it or not, even though you continue to doubt his abilities as both a Turk and a man. ..and now his abilities as a parent as well. Tell me. ..has he done anything that would harm that girl since she has been here? Has he done anything but be loving and attentive to her, or at least as attentive as he was allowed to be? If you can tell me no to either one, I will drop the matter. ..but I know you cannot."

Tseng sighed, muttering something about Rufus being just as much a child sometimes, but it wasn't loud enough for Rufus to make out. There was no malice behind his mutterings, only frustration at his being, as he saw it, replaced as the 'father' of the group. "You are barely older than him, but I would trust you infinitely more with a small child." It was his last ditch effort at winning the arguement and feeling at least slightly like the father hen.

"Besides, think of it, soon enough you will have 'grandchildren' to coddle. And they are even better than children, you get to give them back at the end of the day."

Tseng laughed quietly. "That you do... however, I am far too young to be a grandfather yet, don't you think?" So, in typical Rufus fashion, the arguement is nullified by redirection of energy. THAT was why he was such a great President.

"Oh, I believe you just the right age. ..though you've aged well, like a fine Kalmen vintage red."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, sir," Tseng said with a small smile. And with that, the war was averted. If only the late president had taken notes from his son, things may have turned out differently.

Rufus planted another soft kiss on Tseng's lips, his eyes beginning to squint a bit again, a telltalle sign of an encroaching attack. But instead of bending double like most would, he sat with his back straight, seeming almost angelic in grace and steely in control as the black ooze began flowing from the lesions. "I think you should get the bandages andd call Reno to run my bath, if you please. " His voice was a tad strained, but he did a good job of hiding just how much it hurt.

"Yes, sir," Tseng said, bowing before he turned towards the door. Once he reached it, he opened it and called for the redhead.

Rude looked up from his paper at Tseng's call. Seems their lover's spat was over.

Reno nods, running upstairs. "You called, sir?"

Tseng nodded to the slowly approaching Rude before speaking to Reno. "The President has had another attack and would like you to draw him a bath." He was going to add something about not making it too hot or too cold, but considering the discussion he'd just had with Rufus, he thought it petty. He would try -- TRY -- to treat Reno like the adult everyone else thought him to be.

"Yes sir" the bath he ran was more like what RUDE would like than him. ..cool and soothing. It was a well known fact that Reno liked his showers hot enough to scald skin, but he also had the common sense to realize it was not likely to fly here. He put some of the cinnamon and rasberry scented bath beads he knew Rufus had a love of into the water, the scent soothing yet invigorating at the same time. He also set up the candelabra, they were Wutain incense scented. "There you are, sir" he said as he came out.

"Thank you," Tseng said, carefully wheeling Rufus into the bathroom.

Rude waited for the door to close before offering up a "That was weird."

"I think...they came to some sorta agreement about OUR future there. ..and helping Tseng realize there comes a time a bird's gotta fly on its own." He looked. ..almost smugly satisfied for some reason.

Rude, being Rude, was a little weirded out by Tseng's mostly civil actions towards Reno. However, Reno's explaination fit... "So... where are we 'flying' to?" he asked.

"The future yo. ..maybe. ..someday a family of our own outsidea work. 'Lena's right, the world is changin'. ..and I think. ..given a chance you n' I could do right by some poor kid that like me when I arrived just needs ta be loved." He shrugs. "Then again, we still need ta talk about that."

"Yes. We do." Rude was in NO hurry to become a father... in any sense of the word.

Rufus settled into the bath, peering back at Tseng, cheeks pinkening because he wanted so badly to reaffirm his bond with the older man, but he simply did not have the strength to do so. "I hate being reduced to this. ..It's probably why I am trying so hard to affirm my hold on this company." He side as Tseng ran his fingers through the blond hair, lathering it, washing all of the detrius of the attack away.

"You will recover, sir," Tseng said, as if his words could do the curing of the illness for him. "There is no doubt in my mind." He leaned forward to place a kiss to Rufus' nose with a soft smile.

"Miracles still happen, right?"

"We survived the end of the world," Tseng mentioned, finishing washing up the blonde. "You managed to convince me of Reno's supposed adulthood, something which I have yet to witness." Okay, so the dig was petty and cheap... but needed for Tseng's wounded ego. "Anything is possible." He smiled, helping the man to sit back in his chair while Tseng started reapplying the bandages.

"He will convince you of it yet, though I know what part of it as well. ..you did not approve of my choice of him then."

Rufus chuckled softly. "You know what the funny thing about that was? He outgrew ME. .. needed more than I could at 17 give. The other funny thingis that you pushed him right into my arms. ..it was me he came to after that. ..It was a huge boost to my ego, I will admit that, but it was more than that. I needed to be loved as badly as he did."

"Something I was both not permitted and not prepared for," Tseng said. He was a strictly by the book Turk, and loving another man publicly, especially the President's son, was a big taboo. However, his eventual giving in to Rufus' advances, much to his surprise, was a real eye-opener.

"You discovered, sometimes it's better to break taboo and be true to yourself than it is to live out a lie."

"You are wise beyond your years, sir," Tseng said with a smile.

"I have had to be in order to survive this cut throat place."

Reno began walking back up toward his room, he looked in a word dejected. "M'tired. ..think I'll pack for our mission and get some shut eye." He gestured with his shoulder for Rude to follow, he was quiet, not his normal ebullant self at all, which told more than anything else how wearing this day had been.

Rude grunted once and nodded, following the redhead.

Reno's shoulders were tight, not quite as tight as the day Meteor came, but tense none the less, though it was not Rude which had his dander up this time, which meant his husband would be able to actually calm and comfort him and redirect the raw nerves with out having to coak

A yawn slipped from Rude's mouth as he sat on the bed next to Reno. "Want to talk?" he asked, placing his hand on the redhead's shoulders. He began rubbing the tense muscle there in hopes of helping Reno sleep without sudden muscle cramps.

"Just. ..miss Em, yo...an' hate people treatin' me like I'm not capable. .it STUNG hearin' what he thought of my ability to take carea someone else. more than I really wanna admit. Prob'bly because there's a graina truth there" He looks almost sheepish saying that..

"You can't change what people think about you," Rude said carefully. He scooted back behind Reno, using his large hands to work out some of the knots in the redhead's neck muscles. He hadn't heard any of the discussion between Tseng and Rufus... and he wasn't sure he wanted to. But if Reno wanted to bring it up... it was probably for the best.

"He. .he was just afraid ta let go, ya know. ..it's like. ..he wanted try ta be a father figure. ..an' he just wasn't ready to let me find my own wings yet."

Rude nodded, 'mmhmm'ing after he realized Reno couldn't see him nod behind his back. He gently eased the redhead onto his stomach, working his massage down to the rest of Reno's back.

"I gotta admit, I love him for it, in hindsight, as tough as he is. ..there was love behind it, and I can't fault him for wantin' me to be the best I can be. He just didn't understand. ..I can't change who I am inside to conform to how someone else thinks I can be. ..it'd be just as much livin' a lie as he was back home."

"Back home?" Rude had basic knowledge of Tseng's ties to Wutai, but he didn't know anything past the fact that it was where their leader was born and raised.

"His folks married him off to this wutain woman. ..you know Wutai is really strictly traditional. ..Even a HINT that any member of one of the higher ranking families ain't straight, it leads to a loss of the family's honor. ..so when he 'came out' so to speak and left the wife and kid back in Wutai. ..his family

"Leastways that's what I gathered from what I overheard."

Kid? Tseng had a kid? "He... is a father?" Rude asked, eyes wide as he paused in his ministrations. That... could explain a lot of things, actually.

"Kid's twelve. . .don't even know that Tseng's his father."

"Oh." What more could he say. It was a shocker, to say the least.

"I'm guessin' he saw a lotta that kid in me when I got here. ..but I was pretty wounded then, not ta say I can't still BE the walkin' wounded sometimes even now.. .but nothin' like back then."

It did in fact explain a lot. Tseng's pushing Reno beyond the limits of normal Turks. His astromonical expectations for the redhead. His almost rage at Reno when the redhead made a mistake.

"I can't say he didn't scare me back then, yo. ..he did. .he reminded me o' Dad, an' I couldn't handle the pressure then. ..it took time. .a lotta breakdowns. ..but between you an' the boss I managed ta grow into the potential he always saw. Just. ..until the boss made 'im see what he was doin', he couldn't SEE that."

"Tseng scared all of us at one time," Rude mentioned, going back to working out the tense muscles in Reno's back. "My first day, he flipped me on the training mat faster than I could think. I thought I was invincible, and he floored me without moving more than a foot."

"I'm not quite sure when I started ta understand that there was always love behind the way he acted. .." He blushes a bit "Ya know. ..I sorta had a crush on him back then. . .a little silly, eh?"

Rude neglected to mention the fact that, the first time he managed to pin Tseng, he kissed him. Hard, needing and full off all his triumph. This was a few years before Reno even came on the scene. Instead, he just blushed a little, glad Reno couldn't see him over his back.

"He crushed it before it even started yo. ..the day you saw me go running by your office. ..I was gonna tell him. .." He sighed. "'sfore the best I think, though. ..he woulda rejected me, all grossed out."

"Not for that reason," Rude muttered. He was well aware how much Tseng was their father figure before Rufus stepped up as President and kind of took over that role. "Not grossed out at all. More of a... I don't know. He would have seen it as taking advantage of you, somehow."

"I wouldna seen it that way, but I was all this sparkle-eyed, traumatized puppy back then. ..'shard ta believe it's only been 7 years since then. .."

Wow. That made Rude feel old. True, he was kinda pushing 30... but still... Damn. However, he deflected the feelings with humour. "You did cry like a little girl at lot then."

"NOT a girl, yo. ..more like. ..someone that life had kicked arounda lot. I do owe ya and the boss a lot for helpin' me get this far." and with that he turned around, grabbing Rude's face and pressing his lips to his husband's. "You taste good." 


	14. Chapter 14

You taste like a girl," Rude teased, breaking the kiss to run his tongue over Reno's lips.  
"I most certainly do not" he hmmphed in a mock offended manner "you taste good every where"

"Show me," Rude said, moving off Reno and leaning back.  
MReno's lips trailed down his chest genty.. .then moving anything in his way up his thighs. ..and to the object of his desire.

Rude groaned as Reno took his quickly hardening arousal into his mouth. Man, he would never get tired of that mouth. Ever. "Happy I kept you," he mumbled as his head moved backwards and he closed his eyes.

"me too, he murmered his eyes beginning to flutter. It is true the guy had an insane oral fixation. Something which most of the people, men and women, he'd been with loved. He smiled at Rude, batting his lashes. .."Need you. ..love you. ..your taste, your smell, how your big arms make me feel so safe. .."

"Girl," Rude teased, threading his fingers into the redhead's hair.  
i "Nah, just in love, yo. ..ain't nothin' wrong with that."

Rude chuckled, the sound coming from deep within his chest as it usually did when he had a certain partner between his legs. For some reason, he just couldn't get the idea of Reno dressing like a girl out of his head, though. So, in typical Rude fashion, after a few nice sounds of appreciation for Reno's oral abilities, he just went out with it.

"You ever crossdressed?"

"Only that one time the Old Man sent me into the one brothel in Sector 8 for informtation. ..ain't afraid ta admit I had chills the whole damn time was afraid the bastard would happen to be there when I went in."

Okay. So that wasn't why he couldn't get the picture out of his head of Reno, all made up, hair all done... in a short ass miniskirt. Damn. Maybe Reno's kinks were rubbing off on him.

"I'll do it if ya want, though. ." He grinned widelt.

"I wasn't suggesting... that... I mean, what I mean is..." Rude was flustered. He would not admit to liking the idea. He wouldn't. It was hard enough getting him to admit to liking some of the things Reno convinced him to do.

"you remember that outfit. .the biker skirt. .the leather jacket, the high heeled boots. .'

"The fishnets, the bubble gum..." Rude groaned. It was so, so cliched, but he didn't care. Mostly because it was so, so nice in his head and currently making certain parts of his anatomy twitch.

Reno smirks, going through his bag, and into the bathroom. ..When he comes out He has on said outfit, his hair smoothed out and braided, eyes maid up in smokey blues and greys, playing up those eyes. ..pink blusher accentuating those sharp high cheelkbones, those lush lips painted a bright cherry red.

"Fuck." Yup, that about sums up Rude's mental state. He always was a sucker for a redhead with a great pair of legs that liked to show them off.

"So. ." He even schooled his voice into that soft, feminine purr. "You like?"

"Jesus, Reno," Rude said, face and chest flushed. He slid back along the bed until he was leaning against the headboard, his back to the wall and his very wide eyes not leaving Reno's form. "When did you..." he swallowed, mouth dry from his heavy breathing. "When did you learn to do THAT?"

"Took three weeks before that mission to learn to."

"Jesus... fuck..." Rude was at a loss for words. There he was, looking at Reno, HIS Reno, but it wasn't. It was this gorgeous cliched fantasy of HIS Reno. It was like looking at someone you knew that you knew, but couldn't place their name. It was, in Rude's suddenly so eloquent speech, "Fuck."

Reno straddled him, leaving a red lipstick print on his mouth as he kissed him fiercely.

Rude groaned loudly into Reno's mouth, his hips arching up of their own volition. His gaze dropped slightly, eying the hem of the skirt as it inched up just a little higher.

"You are so hot..."The words spoken in that same husky higher-pitched voice. "My big boy."

"Jesus, Reno," Rude breathed. One touch, one touch was all it would take and he would be coming like he was DYING. He gently placed his hands at the top of Reno's boots, his fingertips moving slowly, almost reverently, over the fishnets to the hem of the skirt.

Reno pressed his lips to Rude's once more. ..touching him sweetly, gently.

Rude's hands slid up, taking the bottom of Reno's skirt with them as he gripped the redhead's hips and ground against him. Within a breath's span he was off, his seed being released between them.

Reno shivered with the touch. . .with the sensation his cock against the leather caused to run through him.

Rude shuddered again, opening eyes he didn't realize he'd closed. He focused instantly on the bright red lips opened into a 'o' shape as he felt Reno grind against him. Jesus, Reno still looked like sex walking... not that he didn't usually, but Rude was discoving all kinds of nifty fantasies with the redhead.

"Gods, baby. ." That voice, still schooled to sound like a woman's, had suddenly become grainy and gravely with need. . "You feel so fuckin' incredible."

"Fuck," Rude breathed, coming back to himself just enough to tighten his grip on Reno's hips. His grip paused the redhead's motion as Rude leaned forward to breathe into his partner's ear. "Give me a few minutes and you'll feel more of me."

Reno took off the jacket, then lifted off the shirt, he'd even cast a glamour which gave him a decent bustline to fill it out with. . .the shirt hit the wall at the other end of the room. "Take me. .."

Rude traced a fingertip along the underside of Reno's temporary breasts. "You sure you've never done this more than once?" he asked. Rude was, honestly, quite the boob-man when it came to women. He knew that Reno knew that, however the mounds of flesh didn't fail to distract his attention.

"Like I said, took me three weeks before that mission ta learn all this. ..no idea why I kept it all."

"Rude. .." The glamour broke away, his brain too distracted to maintain it, and he was. .. just who he was, the lithe, slender body bending. .." Fuck. .you feel. ..magnificent."

Rude grinned ferally, his suddenly empty hands just as suddenly filled with the redhead's buttocks. He could feel himself hardening under Reno's body, his partner's voice in its current state enough to arouse him.

Reno writhed, arching, causing the skirt to sidle all the way up, explosing everything underneath it.

As Rude knew, Reno didn't believe in underwear. Mentioned one time how it was against his religion or something. For once, Rude could see why. With a show of his strength, he lifted Reno up until he could take the redhead's arousal into his mouth.

A soft groan rang into the air that suddenly seemed to be completely absent. .. leaning back to shove more of himself into Rude's mouth, his hair draping down onto the bed as it began to loose from the braid.

Rude braced his grip, holding Reno as if the redhead were sitting on his hands while he took as much of his partner into his mouth as he could. The smell of the leather, mixed with the smell of Reno was utterly intoxicating.

Reno stiffened. .body going taut as he dropped into silence, chest going still as if he'd forgotten how to breath. .. his hair sticking to his flesh suddenly the silence was broken by a growling roar as he let loose. ..apparantly being in drag turned him on as much as him being thus did Rude.

Rude took down what he could, a few small streams dribbling from the corners of his mouth. He carefully maneuvered himself and Reno until he was laying over the panting redhead. "Enjoy yourself?" he asked, voice gravelly with reignited need.

All he could do was nod as he attempted to remember how to fill his lungs with air again. ..a whimpering moan coming from him.

"Good," Rude groaned, pressing his revived arousal against Reno's stomach. He took a finger and wiped off what had left his mouth to use to prepare his fiesty lover. Without further warning, Rude pressed two fingers into his partner.

He arched back, screaming. .leaning into him. .."Gods. ..Oh Gods. . . more. ..more."

Rude smirked, removing his fingers just long enough to replace them with his arousal. He pressed into Reno, not stopping until he was fully seated inside him.

Another gasping cry. ..he felt. ..so wonderfully full.

He leaned forward, nearly bending the redhead in half so he could get closer to his partner's head. "I like you like this," Rude whispered forcefully into Reno's ear. "Kind of submissive, begging under me..."

Reno had no words.. .just the intense feeling. ..as he moved, trying to drive the pace faster. .. "Gods. .. harder. ..harder. .."

"Louder," Rude ground out, keeping his pace just erratic enough to keep them both from getting off. "I want everyone to hear you."

"Fuck me harder. ..make me scream. .shit. ..you're. .Gods so wonderful. .."

Rude did just that. He slammed into Reno, panting and growling and generally making noises that weren't really words at all.

Reno leaned back even more. .his face forming this expression that defied words, but was so perfectly readable. ..his mind was utter mush at this point, drowning in the electric shocks the pounding was delivering to his nerves. ..the feeling almost enough to bring unconscious tears. .."shit, fuck. .."

There was a loud noise that Rude didn't realize until later had come from him as he released himself inside his partner. As soon as the sensation was over, he collapsed very ungracefully in a pile of sweaty skin on the redhead below him.

"I love you. .Gods do I. ..but we need ta get some sleep, yo. ..revile at 6 am."

"You're sleeping?" Rude mumbled, already half asleep. "In that?"

"Too drained ta get up, yo."

Rude shrugged, or at least he thought he shrugged, before he immediately nodded off to sle

Reno awakened to the sound of a ringing alarm. ..he threw his left boot at it as usual. "fuck off, damn thing" his usual morning litany accompanying the thrown item of appearal.

Rude stretched, grimacing at the morning taste in his mouth and the dried sticky feeling on his body. Ick. He needed a shower. Badly.

"Shower? Then coffee, got it set ta start at 6:15."

"Got what set to start?" Rude asked, scratching. He stretched again, then padded towards the shower. He wasn't at his best, mentally, until after the caffiene.

"coffee maker. ..the one here's got a timer."

"Nice," Rude mumbled, turning on the shower and stepping inside. Mmm... nice water making cle

Reno climbs in behind him, sighing at the warm spray.

Rude went through the morning routine as usual, pausing before getting coffee to brush his teeth. He was still a little sleepy. "What are we doing today?" he asked.

"Surveillance and information gathering. ..making sure that silver haired bastard doesn't cause any trouble with the construction."

"You want to play sniper or work the crowd?" Rude always left the choice up to Reno. He could do either, himself, but honestly, he preferred not to do the information gathering. Most people didn't like talking to the big burly guy in a suit. At least, most people didn't like talking to him until he broke a few fingers.

"You take sniper, o' course, we'd have dead bodies instead of intel if I let you do it."

Rude chuckled as he dressed. "One time I accidentally kill a witness and you won't let me live it down." Okay, so 'accident' wasn't exactly the correct word. The group they'd been watching had snuck several Hypers into his lunch, causing Rude to go into a Fury state. When he wasn't hearing what he wanted to hear from a witness... he snapped.

Reno chuckles softly as he pulls his hair back, getting his coffee.

"How many days?" he asked, getting himself a cup of coffee as well.

"today and tomorrow"

"Nonstop surveillence or do we get to sleep in a bed?" As much as Rude hated doing the information gathering, he hated sleeping with a sniper rifle, sitting up in a cramped space almost equally.

"Checked into the hotel we'll be stationed outside of."

Nice, which meant Rude could probably do his entire surveillence from the comfort of the room. Things were looking up.

Reno popped a thing of hash browns in the oven, but suddenly...something caught his eye, causing a wave of nostalgia he'd never expected. the locket Rufus had given him when he'd first been recruited. ..a photo of him on one side, and a photo of Rufus on the other, their hands in each photo extended so it looked as if they joined along the hinge of the pendant. "Didn't even know I still had it, yo."

"Hey, Rude. ..you ever wonder. ..how things woulda been if we hadn't ended up more'n friends? It's. ..wierd question, an' not sure why I'm askin' even. ..just. ..curious."

Rude shrugged, sitting down in a chair and thinking back. "You never would've given me the clap," he said offhandedly. Before they were exclusive, both he and Reno had other partners. At least, he thought Reno had... especially since Rude had.

Reno blushed. .THAT was a memory he certainly had not wanted to stir. ..It had actually been one drunken, stupid night with one of his old gang budidies, one which even he had not remembered everything that had happened. .until he'd come down with a nasty sexually transmitted infection that had taken 6 months to clear.

"I wouldn't have had to go from designer sunglasses to the cheap ones," he added, figuring he'd make the redhead sweat a little before he got to the good stuff.

The blush grew deeper. yes, he could be clumsy sometimes, as clumsy as he could be graceful. and it was certainly true he'd taken out a pair or two of Rude's favored Oakley's in one drunken brawl or another.

"I might not have had those last two concussions or the shattered rib..." He was enjoying watching Reno squirm. Far, far too much. Besides, all those injuries came from protecting Reno, something that Rude would have gladly done again and again to that day.

Reno sighs, looking down. ..he hated when Rude got hurt for him. ..hated being so incredibly clumsy sometimes.

"I might never have stepped foot into a drag bar." There was a nice, neutral thing that probably wouldn't have happened without Reno egging him on as to how 'fun' it was. Rude wasn't sure how 'fun' being tormented by large men dressed as women was. It was different if it was someone small like Reno, but the large, burly men who wouldn't shave? Yeah. Not so 'fun.  
M "You remember I punched that bastard's lights out for touchin' ya too.

Rude chuckled. "You wouldn't have given me a reason to NOT take the suicide missions..." Okay, so Rude sometimes got it stuck in his head that he was invincible. He was a man. They do that.

"Like the one in Costa. ..the one where both of us damn near died. ..damn house blew up around us.. .shit."

Rude finished his cup of coffee, standing to get a refill. "I never... NEVER would have gotten married."

Reno blushed now. "You know. ..if I'd never met you I'd probably be lyin' in some alley waitin' for the streetcleaners to haul my corpse off the street, if I wasn't already in the municipal cemetary.

Rude paused to take a deep breath, then made sure he caught Reno's eyes. He'd been thinking about what he was about to say for quite some time, and he thought he was finally ready. "I never would have considered the idea of children in any form."

He suddenly smiled, his eyes tearing, just the tiniest bit "You. ..you really mean it right? You're not just yankin' my chain to make me feel good?"

"I'd want some practice first," he started, realizing that it had been quite some time since he'd taken care of his younger brother. "And not right now, when things settle down more." He paused, taking another deep breath. It was really, really hard for him to say it, but he was willing to try... for Reno. "But yes. I mean it."

He threw himself into Rude's arms "If you knew. ..shit...I mean it won't be me an' you unless we make use o' science but I'd rather take in a kid than add to tha popuation anyway. But this is. ..somethin' that means the fuckin' world. . .an' I love you so fuckin' much for it I could damn well bust. I'd show ya but we gotta get movin'."

"NO ass babies," Rude said with a shudder, nearly spilling his freshly refilled coffee.

Reno chuckled out loud now. "Nah, wasn't thinkin' that. ..if we went that route it'd be dna transfer and a surrogate yo. I ain't nuts enough to wanna go through that."

Rude finished his coffee quickly, interjecting that, "Easier to adopt. Better for the kids, too." before he gestured for Reno to exit with him. It was a big weight off his chest, something he'd been considering ever since the very first time Reno brought it up a couple years before.

He grins, grabbing his blazer and sliding it on, grabbing his emr. "ok, m'ready."

Rude nodded, setting down his cup, adjusting his tie, and walking out the door. He reached into his inside jacket pocket, pulled out his sunglasses and put them on. He was ready.

When they arrived at the mission point Reno began combing the crowd... talking to a few people. . .getting a few bits of useful information. ..then he spotted something. "Yo, silver hair 5 o clock. .but it ain't the same guy."

Rude nodded and grunted in acknowledgement. This silver-haired fellow had rather short hair and a significantly bulkier build.

"Can't take him down with the rifle, yo "He said into the microphone "Too many people around, and the boss wants as little collateral damage as possible."

While Rude was not trained as a sniper, he did have a sniper rifle sitting between his legs. He looked through the binoculars, judging the distance between Reno and the silver-haired guy. "Keep out of my shot line, just in case," Rude replied, cracking his knuckles and double checking his rifle.

Loz suddenly looked over with a sneer. "You're the one who took down Nii-san? You're a SHRIMP"

"Reno!" Rude shouted into the microphone, standing quickly and bringing the rifle to bear. Screw collateral damage if that guy started beating on Reno. "Reno! Get out of my shot line! Move!"

Loz looked straight up at Rude with a sneer, his movements too fast almost to track he has a hold of the smaller man, holding him in front of him. Who could have known such a large man would be so FAST? Reno, as quick as he was, hadn't even had a chance to react.

"Fuck!" Rude swore, knowing he couldn't take the shot with Reno right there. He was helpless.

Reno instead of wildly struggling as he normally would when held in such a way instead closed his eyes, going completely limp. ..fooling Loz into loosening his grip a bit. he slid out from underneath Loz's grip and dropped to the ground.

"Move! Move! Move!" Rude barked into the microphone, taking a quick bead on the chest of the silver-haired assailant.

Reno got the Hell out of his way. .diving several feet away.

Rude took the first shot, not waiting to see if it hit before taking a second one at the man's head. He kept his eyes on the crowd below as he reloaded the firearm as quickly as he could.

Loz held up the dual piledriver on his arm which deflected the first, he dove, grabbed Reno again, and rolled so he was underneathe the slender Turk.

Reno's eyes went wide open as the weapon dug into his spine. ..discharging as it did. ..leaving his legs completely numb. . .then the shot Rude had aimed at the man digging into his chest. "abort, fuck Rude, abort!" It was all he could say.

"No! I've got him!" He said, quickly raising the sniper rifle again and taking aim for right between his beady eyes. "Get out of the fucking way!"

"Can't move yo. .I'm numb from the gunshot down. .."

Loz threw Reno from atop him, then disappeared into the crowd. ..leaving the lithe man whose nerves were in disarray as a result of Neural shock from the weapon's discharge laying there.

Rude let loose with every cuss word he could think of, and made up a few for good measure. Why was it that things got so collossally fucked up? He ran as fast as he could down to the street, sniper rifle still in his hand as he called, "Reno! Where are you!" 


	15. Chapter 15

"M'here, yo" The voice was strained, almost strangled-sounding, a crowd of people standing around him, one holding a vial to his mouth, the one who did was a man with blond spikes and glowing blue eyes. Em stood next to him, her hand over her mouth in horror.

Cloud stood now "I was coming back from the store with some supplies for the girl when I saw the clone," he stated. "The potion will help some, but you still should get him some medical attention. "

"Thank you" was all the redhead could find to say. There was blood all around him, almost TOO much blood, and the hole where the bullet had entered pulsed out blood in time with his heartbeat, not a good thing at all, though the amount of it being spilled had begun to lessen as the potion began to work."Hurts. . ." his eyes began to close

"you are going into shock, Reno, you need to stay awake.

Rude, seeing that Cloud was tending to Reno, scanned the crowd for the silver-haired man. He had a bullet in his sniper rifle with the asshole's name on it. "Where did he go?" he asked.

Cloud shoook his head "He had a bike parked at the city's edge, you'll never catch up to him now."

"Fuck!" Rude swore. He quickly removed the live bullets from his rifle before slinging it over his shoulder. He bent down, picking up Reno and looked at Cloud. "Where's the nearest hospital?" he asked. He wasn't familiar with Edge's layout at all.

Cloud gestured east "It's not the best yet, but it should have supplies tto get him stable enough to get back to Healin"

Rude nodded, moving towards the nearest motor vehicle that wasn't a motorcycle. Didn't people in this damn town believe in real cars?

Reno's eyes had meanwhile slid completely closed, his skin waxy and sweaty, his eyes screwing up at the corners on occasion with each jolt. His whole world, what wasn't fuzzing around the edges, was all-encompassing hurt, shuddering hot and cold with his teeth chattering hard. "R-rude. ..m'scared. .."

Rude didn't say a word, only kicked out the back window of the vehicle, unlocked it, and placed Reno on the back seat. Still not making any noise other than the occassional grunt, he slid into the front seat and started hotwiring the car. Funny how old habits die hard.

Suddenly a little redhaired whirlwind was having to be fought back by the blond warrior. "Uncle Reno! I need to go to him let me go, let me GO!"

"Em, the doctors will take care of him, he'll be allright, I promise."

Rude was focused. Tunnel-vision, if you will. Reno was shot. In the chest. He had to get him to the hospital, damn the consequences and everyone else. When the engine sputtered and finally turned over, he didn't even bother with his seat belt, a very un-Rude-like thing, as he floored it, heading in the direciton Cloud had pointed out.

Reno finally was completely silent, meaning he'd either passed out or was in too much pain to talk anymore. Silent Reno was a scary thing, as he was almost never that quiet, Or that still.  
m He drove past a few hospital signs, indicating that he was going in the right direction. The quiet didn't bother him; the stillness didn't bother him. Mostly because he was so focused on just getting to the hospital.

There were two doctors outside on their breaks when he pulled up to the door, one of them Rude knew, the man having treated both Turks multiple times at one time or another. He immediatly stamped out his cigarette and gasped out a "sweet shiiva" when he peeked into the back seat, the biege material had been dyed crimson in the spot the littler man occupied. He was immediatly calling his co-workers out, one with a gurney.

Rude was numb. He was tired of seeing hospitals, mostly he was tired of seeing Reno in hospitals. It was getting a little... for lack of a better word, irritating. Didn't his partner know how much it hurt to sit next to a hospital bed while Reno fought for his life? Didn't he know how much it bothered him when Reno's reckless behavior didn't work out for the best.

He needed a drink. Bad.

"Wasn't m'fault this time. " He knew it didn't help to say it, even if it was true. ..the bastard had been fast, faster than any could have expected. "Maybe I shoulda worn the skirt, eh? He woulda been less inclined to use me for a shield." Finally he grew silent again. ..face relaxing as darkness claimed him.

Okay, time for that drink. Rude nodded at the doctors and walked out of the hospital without another word. They knew to call him when Reno was out of surgery and woke up. Besides, he needed something to calm him down -- be it a stiff shot or an all out bar brawl.

Cloud stood outside the door. "Come on, Tifa's getting ready to open. .drinks're on the house."

Rude grunted and nodded, following the blonde a few blocks down to the establishment. He sat down, eying the girl once as she set him down a double shot, and took the whole thing at once. As Tifa refilled the glass, he turned to Cloud with a mumbled, "Thanks."

"I know it's not easy. ..he's reckless. ..But this time it really isn't his fault. I've had troublle knocking the guy out the one or two encounters I've had with him. Besides. ..Reno has never failed to bounce back before."

"I don't need to see in the inside of a hospital again for a long time," Rude said, lighting a cigarette. "And I really don't need to see the inside of a morgue."

"You really love him, don't you?" It seemed a question totally out of the blue, as Cloud gestured to the silver claudaggh on Rude's left ring finger that matched the one on his partner's. "I do know how it feels, Tifa here can be a little reckless at times, too."

Rude nodded, taking a long drag from his cigarette. He was still feeling a misplaced anger towards Reno. It wasn't the redhead's fault he got hit by a should have been dead on shot. And it wasn't really Rude's fault either. But try telling him that.

"You need to remember who's really at fault here. ..it's not his fault. ..and it's not yours " Cloud's hand dropped to his shoulder.

Tifa nodded "I know, that's the biggest problem, isn't it, Rude? You feel as if it's your fault because it was your hand that held the rifle. It's not. ..There as no way you could have predicted the clone would use Reno for a shield. If you beat yourself up for it, you won't be fit to help him when he needs it."

Rude just grunted, a sign that while he heard them, he didn't believe them. It wasn't so much that he was beating himself up as much as he wanted to shake Reno until the redhead realized what these hospital stays did to him. He sighed, finishing his second drink and gesturing for Tifa to just hand him over the bottle.

Tifa nodded, doing so. .."He loves you, too, you know. .SOME of his recklessness, you must admit, is him trying to keep YOU safe. You're not reckless by any means but sometimes you forget you're as mortal as the rest of us."

Rude stabbed his cigarette butt out in the ashtray, taking the bottle with a nod before taking a long drink directly from it. Screw the glass. It took too long. "He needs to worry about himself more," he mumbled, loosening his tie a little.

"He does, I agree. .it also wasn't his fault that he's too damn pretty for his own good. .we saw some of Corneo's records when I was at his mansion. ..I know what he did to the people who worked for him."

"You think he's pretty?" Rude asked, He hadn't eaten that morning and the alcohol was starting to kick in.

"He is, if he were my type and not with you I might have set my cap. for him."

"Pretty like a girl, or pretty like a boy?" Rude continued. His speech had a very slight, almost unnoticable slur to it.

"he's what Yuffie would call Bishounen. ..that's wutain for 'beautiful man' "

"I speak Wutain," Rude mumbled, taking another drink before continuing. "And lower Costan... and... and... something else."

Tifa's phone rang at the same time Rude's cell did. ..

"¿Hola¿Quién es éste?" Rude said into the phone, as if he were proving he could speak the language of where he was born.

"He's in his room, and asking for you, Senor."

"Who?" Rude asked, frowning to himself and lighting another cigarette.

"Your husband, sir, he's awake and asking for you."

"Husband?" Rude's brain just wasn't working well at all while swimming in booze. He leaned over the bar, speaking in a loud whisper to Tifa. "Do I have a husband?" It had, after all, been not that long ago since that had occured.

Tifa laughed "Silly, go see your partner. ." Handed him an elixer "Drink, it will help clear your head."

"I'll be there," he said into the phone before closing it. He took the elixer, looking over the bottle for a label. "Where's the proof?"

She gives him a photo taken by Elena at his wedding. "Good enough?"

"No..." Rude said carefully. "The proof. On the bottle. The al-co-hol level." However, he did take a look at the picture anyway. That redhead of his was pretty hot. "Guess this means I can't marry you, huh?" he said to Tifa's chest.

"It's an elixer, Rude, NO proof, it's to get the alcohol out of your brain."

Rude continued to stare at Tifa's chest. "I don't need to get the alcohol out of my brain. I'm perfectly fine as it is." He paused, licking his lips absently. "And so are you." He'd ALWAYS had a thing for Tifa.

"Come on, drink it, if I let you do this you'd regret it when you got sober and Reno would KILL me."

"So, what you're saying," Rude said, opening the elixer and gesturing with it while he spoke. "Is that if I were drunk, like I am now, and not with Reno... you'd fuck me?" He figured he was going to get slapped, but, in his addled brain, he thought it was worth it just to know. Because were he not with Reno, he would most definitely tried to hook up with Tifa Lockheart.

She purred "Probably. .."

Oooh, that purr. It sounded just like Reno's. Or would it be the other way around? He didn't care. He was drunk. Very drunk... and getting kind of horny with the direction the conversation was taking. "What about him?" he asked, gesturing at Cloud with the still full elixer bottle open.

"We're friends. ..he wanted to bone that ancient."

"So did Tseng," Rude said in what was supposed to be a quiet voice, but ended up being rather loud. Good thing they were the only three in the bar at the time.

Tifa laughed while Cloud came up behind him "Bottoms up!" with one swift gesture the bottle was emptied into his mouth. "You'll thank me for it later, trust me."

Rude sputtered a little, choking down the thick liquid. Before the warmth of the elixer spread through him, the warmth of the liquor made him blurt out the truest thing he'd said in a long time. "You're just pissed because I had the balls to hit on her." With that, he climbed over the bar, grabbed Tifa, and bent her backwards in a dramatic, movielike kiss. After a moment, he stood up, straightened himself out as he walked out from behind the bar, and made towards the door, a light spring in his step as the warmth of the elixer flowed through him, beginning to clear his head.

Tifa looked at the door in shock.

"Reno's going to see that lipstick and go ballistic" Cloud said to her. "Glad I'm not going to be there."

Rude had always wanted to do that. However, as the exiler processed the alcohol from his system, he felt less and less good about what he'd done and more and more guilty.

Reno was propped up on three pillows when he arrived, eyes still crinkling a bit at the corners, but the crinkling died back as the meds kicked in. "So, whose lipstick is that on your mouth?" the question was asked in an off-handed enough manner to indicate he was angry but not going to say so.

Rude frowned. Lipstick? Who was wearing lipstick...? Tifa? He didn't think the woman wore it. It looked so natural on her... He quickly rubbed it off onto his hand to look. "Oh," he said, still frowning. He looked back up at Reno. "It's not what you think." Isn't that how all good drunk stories start?

"Yeah, you go out and get loaded an' kiss some girl. ..hey, that's Mocha Passion. ..that's TIFA'S color, I should know, I've seen Cloud wearing the after-marks enough times."

Rude sighed, sitting down in a conveniently placed chair. Okay. So maybe it WAS what Reno thought. What could he say other than, "I was drunk."

You're mine, MINE dammit. ..I haven't touched anyone but you since that incident that will not be brought up. and at least. . . you weren't injured when I did that." He squinted his eyes closed, even through the morphine, IV drip this time because he had been in a LOT of pain, but the dull ache where they'd had to flay him open pretty much to get to the round and repair the damage to heart and lungs it had done remained.

"I'm sorry." What more could he do? He couldn't take it back, and a little voice in the back of his head mentioned that it was nice to finally lock lips with the object of his crushing all that time back.

He turned his head away. ..he nodded biting his lip. and whispered "I forgive you. .but like what happened back then with me. ..it's going to take time to trust you completely again, I'm sure you understand that."

Rude sighed. HE was the trustworthy one, the one that could always be counted on. And all that crashed down just because he got drunk to forget about how much Reno made him mad when he didn't look out for his own wellbeing.

"An' yeah ..I know I do stupid shit sometimes yo. .but I did use my head this time. .I did what I was supposed to and STILL got hurt. It happens that way sometimes. ..you do everything right and the situation STILL gets fubared." He pauses a moment, trying to catch his breath, the way his eyes drifted half-closed told how tired he was.

Rude sighed again. It just seemed that, since hooking up seriously with Reno, he spent more time in the hospital than some doctors who worked there.

"m'tired. ..but I needed ta tell ya. ..I'm sorry, yo. ..sorry this happened. ..hate that silver haired fucker. ..gonna go all limit on him if I ever see him again."

"Sleep well," Rude said, standing and placing a kiss to Reno's forehead. "I'll be right down the hall finding something to eat if you need me."

Reno nodded and began to drift off, whispering "I love you" as he did.

Rude mumbled a response, then left the room. He walked slowly down the hallway towards the little cafeteria, wondering just how he could have screwed up so collossally.

Elena was already sitting there, two trays in front of her. "Here, I got the least disgusting thing they had on the menu. Wanna talk?"

Did he want to talk? "No." He sat down, looking at the plates in front of them. He picked up a fork and poked at one of the items. "What is this supposed to be?"

"Water chestnut, I think. .. you look like your dog just died. .oh, and there's lipstick on your shirt."

"Don't remind me," he said, spearing what was supposed to be a water chestnut and putting it into his mouth. It tasted like... water. Like semi-solidified water.

"Oh.. .he must have seen it. ..is that part of what the problem is, then?"

Rude would not be snarky towards Elena. She didn't do anything wrong. "Yeah." He speared another supposed water chestnut, and that one, somehow, had less taste than the first.

She put an arm over his shoulder. "He got snarky with you, I take it. ..he normally wouldn't, but he's in a pretty good amount of pain at the moment even WITH the drugs they've been pumping into him. I'd hate to see him with none at all."

Rude took a deep breath before spilling. "It was Tifa." Suddenly, he wasn't so hungry anymore.

"Oh. ..THAT explains it then. . .you know at the beginning of your relationship he was terrified you were going to up and leave him for her. ..resign and make a life with her. ..irrational, I know, but he loved you back then, and he does now."

"She never would've given me the time of day then. Now..." He dropped it off, hoping Elena wouldn't make him say it.

"She's giving you cues she might. . .things are changing. .."

"I don't love her... don't think I ever really did love her, like, really love LOVE her... but..." Rude sighed. Dammit. Why was it so hard to explain it?

"She's attractive. ..she makes you feel safe. ..am I close?"

"She's hot. So fucking hot." Rude paused to poke at the other thing Elena had found. "And just so... together, you know?"

Elena nods. "I know Reno drives you to distraction sometimes. . .he is FAR from together..but tell me. ..what is it that attracted you to him in the first place? I bet if you look at it. ..you'll discover if he was as put together as Tifa a lot of the things you found attractive about him wouldn't be there."

Rude frowned like a whining child. "Tifa wouldn't have me spending 70 of my waking day in the hospital waiting for her to recover from a rifle wound I caused."

"Maybe not. ..but it wasn't YOUR fault. ..blaming yourself doesn't help. ..I saw the surveilance tapes, both of you did everything right. ..and if you did something wrong. ." she shows him the tape on the laptop she has with her at all times. ..it is at the spot where Reno tells him to abort. "THAT is the only thing you did wrong, but the injury had already occured by then."

"I had him." Rude's eyes didn't focus on anything as he remembered earlier in the day. "I had him in THE perfect shot. But he moved so fast... and I took the shot... and I didn't even see it hit before I fired again. I wanted to take him out so bad..."

"For good reason. ..both he and the other are dangerous, very much so. ..some of it was anger about the other one trying to rape him the night of the brawl, too, wasn't it?

"No." Denial isn't just a river in Egypt, Rude.

She tips his chin up with a single finger and removes his sunglasses, something very few can get away with, but she needs to make her point. "Look me in the eye and tell me that now."

Rude looked at her nose. "No." It was an old trick he'd learned. Look at someone's nose, and it looked like you were looking them in the eye when you really weren't. Old habits...

"You can't fool me. ..now, look me in the eye, not the bridge of my nose"  
Rude took a deep breath, looking her in the eye for real that time. He took another deep breath before mumbling a two syllable word almost completely under his breath. He sure could be stubborn when he wanted to be. Worse than a damn mule.

"Repeat that again, did you just say "I was?"

"No," Rude said, pausing to take another deep breath. "I said 'maybe'."

"I know you too well, Rude. ..you're as protective of him as he is of you. ..you beat the fuck outta that guy at the seventh heaven once for just LOOKING at him."

"He deserved it," Rude muttered, putting his sunglasses back on. He felt naked without them.

"Not to mention the looks you give the girls in the steno pool. . .though you'd never stoop to hitting a girl, unless it's Yuffie."

"She's not a girl. She's a nuisance."

"But it's not your fault, that's all there is to it. It's not his either, except in that you both underestimated the guy's speed, which as big as he is is totally understandable."

"Yes, it is," Rude said, his voice getting a little louder with each part of the sentence. "I shot my fucking partner in the fucking chest, then I went out and got smashed in the middle of the fucking afternoon, then I tried to fucking knock boots with the one chick he's afraid of most. Tell me, how is that NOT my fault?"

"Ok, so you getting drunk is. ..but you shooting Reno wasn't, the bastard pulled him on top of him. as for kissing Tifa. ..well shit happens when you're drunk. ..but he forgave you for it, am I right?"

"You don't understand, Elena," Rude's hands started moving as he spoke. "The one girl who's ass I wanted for as long as I can remember told me she would PROBABLY sleep with me if I weren't with Reno. Do you know what that did to me?" He gestured towards his groin.

"So you got hard. ..but you DIDN'T fuck her. ..you didn't betray him, as badly as you wanted to."

A noise of frustration left Rude's throat. "But I would have," he said, pausing to try and collect his thoughts in hopes of making the girl understand why he was such a miserable husband to Reno. "If she hadn't brought Reno up... if Cloud hadn't dumped that elixer down my throat... I would have. Right on that damn bar. In a heartbeat."

"The mind does funny things when you're drunk. .. and even if you had, he would have forgiven you. ..though guaranteed the timing would have hurt."

"But Elena, you should have seen her," Rude said. After burying his crush for so long, it was amazing how strongly it returned when let loose. "She's got that ass that just... ahhh, in that tight little skirt... and these tits that are just... a man could get lost in those. And the way she leaned over and purred, fucking PURRED in my ear..." He paused, forgetting who he was talking to for a moment. "Don't tell me you wouldn't want to fuck her, too."

"I would if I were a man, yes. ..or if I were gay, which I seem to be the only one who ISN'T gay or bi around here." she chuckles. "I'd fuck your husband if he let me, though" she grinned cheekily.

There was a brief flash in Rude's mind: the image of Tifa and Elena together, and it was hot. It was followed directly by a slightly longer flash of Elena and Reno, and it was also hot. Which was followed directly by an even slightly longer flash of Elena, Tifa and Reno in a pile of naked limbs, and it was very hot. He looked at her, stopping himself from saying 'would you? and can I watch?' Instead, he groaned in frustration and put his forehead down on the table, especially since he had to scoot his chair foreward to hide the bulge forming in his pants. Dammit. Now was NOT the time.

"thinking about a foursome, Big Brother?" Elena laughs.

"No." Here we go again... And Rude was NOT scooting back ANYTIME soon, especially since the image kept playing over and over in his head.

Elena just giggled and got up. ..going to see if Reno was awake yet.

Rude groaned again. Even with Elena walking away -- and he never noticed how nice of an ass the blonde girl had... stop it, Rude -- he couldn't get the images out of his mind. He needed a few minutes alone. With his hand. Somewhere more private than the hospital cafeteria.

Reno when she came to the room would be softly crying in his sleep. ..being in the physical pain he was, his walls were completely down. ..he felt pretty betrayed at the moment.

"Reno? Are you awake?" she asked softly, poking her head around the door.

Okay. Rude needed someplace more private... bathroom? It would have to do. He HAD to get this out of his system. He stood, careful to keep his large hands in front of his groin at all times, trying to hide the bulge there.

Those eyes folded open, dulled by pain and the painkillers, they were also wet.. ."come on in, Laney" he said softly.

"Hey," she said quietly, closing the door behind her. "I would ask how you're feeling, but I think I already know." She smiled slightly.

Bathroom, check. He looked under the stalls, noticing that no one else was in there. Perfect. He went into the stall farthest from the door and closed it.

"Like stomped shit. ..both physically. ..and well, I'm sure you talked to him before you came up here. .."

"Yeah, I did," Elena replied, sitting gently on the side of the bed. "You wanna give me your side?"

Rude grabbed a handful of bath tissue, wadding it up with one hand as he unzipped his pants with the other. When his erection fell from his pants into his waiting hand, he looked at it as if he didn't know what to do next.

"He's mad at himself. ..an' I think a little mad at me, but there's nothin' we coulda done. ..an' then he came in, and I saw the lipstick on his mouth and it was punched in the gut!

"Rude...he.. ." Elena was having a hard time deciding where to start. "Okay, let's try again. Have you ever had a crush on someone who didn't like you back?" she asked.

Lube, that's what was missing. Or a mouth. Reno's mouth. He spit into his hand, then rubbed it over himself. He had to be quick; he didn't want to get caught.

"Yeah, and it'd shock ya as to who."

"Oh?" she asked, the gossip in her perking up. Okay, not so much a gossip as she liked to collect information. She liked to know things. "Who?"

There, that was it. It didn't feel nearly as good as Reno's mouth, but Rude thought it was kinda pleasant as he moved his hand a little faster.

"Tseng." He gulped a bit, almost expecting her to pummel him.  
midnight12181: "WHAT?" Okay, a little too loud, Elena.

Rude moved the wadded up bath tissue closer to the head, ready to catch his seed when he released. Soon... soon...

"Yeah, was when I was first recruited...I never told him, though. .."

"Really?" Elena had to rein herself in. "Do you... do you still feel that way?"

Rude grunted, catching his seed in the bath tissue, then dropping it into the commode.

"Nah. .got Rude now and Tseng's got the boss. ..we both moved on."he sighs, looking at the wall. "shit yo. .even if I did I'd never fuck him, too many people would get hurt."

"Okay, bad example," she said. "Anyone else you can think of?"

Rude leaned against the stall wall, gently putting himself back in his pants and taking a few deep breaths. Better, but not perfect.

"Promise you won't tell Rude or Tseng or kill me?"

"Is it me?" she asked, batting her eyes dramatically, then falling into giggles.

"Yuffie. .." he sighs "She has no idea. ..won't tell her, Rude would kill me, an' so would SHE."

Elena froze. A whole 30 seconds passed before she literally fell off the bed in a giggle fit.

"What's so fucking funny?"

Elena climbed back up onto the bed, still breathing heavily. "Yuffie? Of all the people... Yuffie?"

"She n' are a lot alike personality wise, ya know." He winces as a sudden coughing fit stole his breath for a few moments, the gunk in the bottoms of his lungs loosening, beginning to come up.

"Ew," Elena said briefly, reaching over to rub Reno's back in a soothing manner. When the coughing fit stopped, she continued. "Alike? How? I don't see it..."

"Both of us are firey, hot tempered, determined to get what we want at all costs."

She couldn't see it. No matter how hard she tried to picture Reno with Yuffie, she couldn't do it. "Oh," she said. Okay, back to the origial analogy. "Okay, so, let's say you weren't with Rude... would you sleep with her?"

"Only if her father wouldn't murder me."

Elena waved her hand dismissively. "You're not helping." She paused. "Anyway, let's say that if, after forever of liking her, she finally said she might. Are you telling me you wouldn't even think about hitting that?"

"Yeah, I probably would. .but I wouldn't even let it enter my mind when I'm married to someone else.. .I understand the reasoning. ..but the difference in that analogy is I''d be SNGLE."

"Just wait a second, I'm not finished," Elena said, raising her hand to cut Reno off from saying another word. "Now, let's say you were NOT single, SMASHED, and..." she paused, almost unable to get it out, "... Yuffie were to tell you she was ready. Are you saying you wouldn't even think about it for a second?"

"Think about it maybe. ..but do it. ..no."

"For crying out loud, Reno, he just KISSED her," Elena said just a little too loudly. Proving her point, she leaned over and planted one on Reno's lips. After a moment, she pulled away, looking at him almost smugly. "There. Now YOU have lipstick on you. See? No problems."

Rude picked the worst time to chose to be an eavesdropper. Reno? And Elena? He stood outside the closed door and waited.

Reno sputtered and wiped it off "Elena! Fuck, you are going to get me in trouble! Besides, what about Gary? He's 6'6" and 255 pounds, and he'd KILL me! Not to mention what Rude would do to you and I BOTH! and he is the only one I want!"

"Rude. ." it came out whispered. "Is the only one I want."

"I'm proving a point, Reno," Elena said, standing with her hands on her hips. "Besides, I'd be a little more worried about Mr. Sexual Frustration right now, than what you think Gary would do to you."

Rude heard enough and started walking back towards the cafeteria. He left his and Reno's relationship in the most capable hands he knew: Elena's.

Reno winced as the bag with the morphine ran out and the pain hit full force, he bit his lip with a grunt. ..of all the times for the meds to run out. a sheen of sweat gathered on his forehead and he cursed softly. "ow. ..ow fuck. . .ow. . "

"Baby," Elena teased, reaching over to press the nurse's call button by the bed.

Within a minute the nurse appeared with a fresh shot in hand, as if she knew that's what the call was about. Without more than a few pleasant words, she had administered the pain killer, checked Reno's blood pressure and left, leaving the room almost exactly as she entered it.

"Who's the one layin' here with an incision that would accomadate a quadruple bypass, huh?"

"The same guy whose boyfriend -- excuse me -- HUSBAND was getting all hot and bothered thinking about me getting your rocks off," was her response to that.

He lets loose a chuckle now. "I need him, Laney. ..need him like I need air to breathe or food to eat. ..My body'd go on weithout him. ..but what good's body when the heart n' spirit are dead?"

Elena giggled, finishing with, "He loves you, he really does, but you need to stop giving him these minibreakdowns. The Rude we know and love won't survive many more without snapping." She paused, waiting for her words to sink in before continuing. "And he needs you just as much as you need him, even though the bastard won't admit it to anyone, himself included. So what good is he if you're dead?" She paused again, this time smiling almost evilly. "Wanna know a secret? And you can't tell ANYONE... Even the President if he tortures you."

"coursde, Laney. .."

"My darling Big Brother thinks a foursome would be hot." She snickered behind her hand.

He laughed heartily then winced. "ow. .fuck, ow. ..no more laughing."

She giggled again. "I got a better one for you... one that's a little more likely to happen, and just the thing to fix your little 'issues'..." She didn't wait for him to ask her about it before continuing. "He's got this fantasy... Now, don't ask how I know, a girl's gotta have some secrets, but he's got this fantasy... You know the ones where you meet someone you never met before at a club, go to a motel and have wild, passionate sex all night? Yeah. That's one of his favourites."

"Can do that. ..once I'm outta here. ..help me set it up."

"Thought you'd never ask," Elena grinned. She hopped up, brushing herself off and looking towards the door. "So, you want me to bring in your Knight in Kevlar Body Armor?"

"Yeah. .." He looks a little hesitant about the eyes, though, as if he wasn't sure what to expect. "Is he. ..still ready ta tear my head off?"

"He's always more upset with himself than you, but..." she stopped, smiling gently at him. "I have a feeling he's done beating himself up." She suddenly giggled. "Or beating himself off, if my guess is right." She winked before spinning on her heel and leaving the room to get Rude.

Reno sat up , and when Rude came in, he bit a shaking lip. .no he would not cry. "Rude. ..never leave me again. .promise?"

He didn't think he HAD left... Okay, so he'd left in the physical sense, but not exactly the mental or emotional sense. He really hoped Reno was talking about the second one. "I never really did," he said softly, pulling up a chair to sit by the bed. 


	16. Chapter 16

"I know, I'm bein' silly, aren't I?" He shook his head then, hating feeling so damn vulnerable, biting his lip, he was sore as Hell, and it made his usual defenses fade away.

"No," was Rude's response, said rather evenly, considering the situation. He took Reno's hand in his, wrapping Reno's smaller, thinner hand in his. He wanted to ask how he could make it up to the redhead, how he could make everything right... but he knew it wasn't that simple.

"I. .. I don't know why I'd think you'd up n' go, you've been with me through it all. .but shit, I know I'm a burden sometimes, n' I do stuff ta get m'self hurt. ..an' I'm stubborn an' occasionally airheaded n' clumsy. . .just. ..I'm who I am an' I can't change that. .. don't mean I'm a bad person or that I can't take responsibility. ..I know what I need ta do, and I do it."

"I know." What more could he do other than let Reno work himself through this?

"An' I love you more'n my own life. ..if somethin' happened ta you I'd just die. .you're the other halfa me, yo. .sprobably why I get so afraid when I see ya lookin' at someone else. ..like the one or two times I seen ya lookin' at Tifa. ..an' I covered it with humor 'cause I didn't wanna seem silly. If you ever walked away. ..you'd take a good chunka me with ya. ..an' I hate feeling so fuckin' dependant, but I can't change how I feel. .."

All of it, everything that hid behind the manic humor and the easy smile. ..all of it suddenly began just pouring out, and he had no way to stop it right now.

Rude nodded. But he couldn't help himself from saying what came from him next. "It's human to look, Reno. And don't think I haven't seen you do it, too." He paused. He was about to dig himself in a little deeper, he could feel it. "And just because I look doesn't nessisarily mean I'm going to leave you for them. I appreciate beauty"  
M He nodded. "I'm bein' ir rational, don't gotta tell me that."

Wow. That went over a lot better than it did in Rude's head.

He went to sit up the rest of the way, and winced as it pulled at the materia healed incision. He then taps the side of his bed. "I know, I still look at the boss sometimes, but that'd create a hella mess, one I'm not willin' ta get into. .even if I wasn't comitted to YOU already...now, Laney said you wanted ta do somethin'. ..I think I can oblige ya nce I'm outta here."

Rude's face plainly said, 'I did?' What did he tell Elena he wanted to do...?

"About the one night stand thig. ..We can set up where ta meet n' shit once I'm outta this hellhole."

Oh... Oh! Rude's face pinked when he remembered that part of his conversation with Elena.

"I still got the power ta make ya blush, I'm flattered."

Rude smiled slightly. "Got the power to make me do lots of things... most of which I'd never do without your insistence."

He smiles. "Sometimes wonder how ya put up with me, I'm a stubborn pushy little shit sometimes. .."

"I put up with you BECAUSE you're a stubborn, pushy little shit," Rude replied, leaning forward to kiss the hand he still held.

He gulps. ..he knew he had a long way to go before he was fully healthy, both physically and mentally again, after the mess with Corneo. ..some of which he still didn't fully remember in the light of day, but had been haunting his sleep. "Jus' remember that when I'm screamin' my lungs out the next few weeks. .." he murmered. stress always caused nightmares anyway, and with all the shit his mind had buried, it was doubly so.

"I'll invest in earplugs," Rude said with a nod.

He taps the bed next to him, "don' worry 'bout jostlin' me, I jst need ta feel ya again."

Rude nodded, carefully removing his shoes before just as carefully climbing onto the bed next to Reno.

Reno's arms went instantly around him, the shakes intensifying for a moment then he felt that warmth and they eased. ..

Rude sighed, placing his chin on the top of Reno's head as he wrapped his arms around the redhead. He just inhaled and exhaled, smelling that scent that was decidedly Reno and closing his eyes.

"I love you. ..I promise ta be more careful. ."

"I love you, too," Rude mumbled, feeling sleep tugging at his senses. He was, in a word, exhausted. Still. It never really went away anymore, it seemed. Ah well. What was that saying? Better to burn out than fade away? Yeah. That's it.

Reno too felt sleep calling. .he heeded the call, curled up in this place he belonged.

Rude waited until he felt Reno's breathing even out, indicating that the redhead was fully asleep before he drifted off.

Awareness came very slowly. ..first ths sounds of people in the hallway. the feel of the muscular chest underneath his head. .the smell of the coffee at the nurses' station. ..then finally the dim senation of pain as the meds had worn off during the night.  
m Rude blinked. He had slept on and off throughout the night, choosing not to move so Reno could get a good night's sleep for once. When he felt the redhead stir, he whispered, "Good morning."

"mornin'. ..ugh. ..whole body's sore."

"Can understand why," Rude grunted, sliding as gently as he could out from under Reno. The smell of the coffee was making his mouth water.

"get me somea that, wouldja? the swill they give us tastes like jailhouse coffee."

Rude nodded, putting his shoes back on and straightening himself out before he went towards the nurse's station. He was going to grin at the girl, however, she seemed too busy staring at the brewing coffee and muttering 'come on, come on' at the slow-working machine. Instead, he just waited for it to finish with her.

Reno, on the other hamd, was eagerly awaiting his drugs.

Without a word, the nurse poured both herself and Rude a cup of coffee. She handed him the sugar and creamer, smiled, then downed her entire mug, black. Rude raised an eyebrow, adding his customary large quantities of sugar and cream.

"Wuss," the nurse teased, pouring herself another cup before looking at what appeared to be Reno's chart. "He up yet?"

Rude nodded, taking his first sip of the scalding hot brew. It was, to put it bluntly, heaven in a styrofoam cup.

"Pain meds," she muttered, wandering off and muttering to herself.

"An' there's my favorite nurse" He was teasing "I see ya came just in time to get the damn dragon offa my chest."

"Of course I'm your favourite," she said with a large grin. "I give you this." She held up a bottle filled with morphine.

Rude just leaned against the wall by the door, watching as the nurse went through the motions of administering the powerful pain medication.

His eyes fluttered slightly as it kicked in. .relieving the enourmous pressure from the injury" Thanks, yo. .much better...feel almost HUMAN again"  
m "Don't get too dependant on it," the nurse said as she quickly checked Reno's wounds. "They're cutting you back tomorrow morning. Don't need you turning junkie on us, now, do we?"

As the girl laughed to herself, Rude stood quietly. If only she knew...

He nods solemnly, yes, if only she knew.

"Okay, everything seems ship shape," she paused, laughing to herself again. "Well, as ship shape as you CAN be." With that, the girl took her leave.

"There is something seriously wrong with her," Rude muttered quietly, moving back over to sit in the chair by Reno's bed.

"Yeah...they're cuttin' me back in preperation for springin' me day after tomorrow. .you don't know HOW happy I'm gonna be to be outta here."

Rude grunted in acknowledgement. "Yeah, but I mean, there really must be something REALLY wrong with that girl. She's... too happy." In Rude's opinion, people that were too happy either had something like a body to hide or were too doped up to realize what was going on.

"Maybe she's takin' somea Elena's happy drugs. .we all know THAT girl's too fuckin' happy ta be a Turk"  
m "Elena's just happy she isn't in her sister's shadow anymore," Rude said, offering Reno a sip of his coffee before leaning back in the chair.  
He sipped, his face screwing up into this semblance of a man in the middle of a very good three-way.

Yes. Thus was the power of coffee. If Rude didn't know first hand, he'd almost wager that coffee was an excellent substitute for any painkiller out there.

Oh, but even better was the feel of Rude's hard body. . .he cut himself off, right there . those were NOT thoughts he needed to entertain when he couldn't DO it.

Rude smiled, wondering how much paperwork THIS was going to generate. That thought was directly followed by wondering if paperwork was even nessisary anymore, what with ShinRa needing to be rebuilt.

Unfortunatly. ..something had already stirred. ..creating a little dancing tent. ..he put both hands over it, blushing furiously.

"Whatever you were thinking about must've been far more interesting than what I was thinking about," Rude pointed out with a teasing smile.

"Was thinkin' about you, yo.. .

"Definitely more interesting than what I was thinking about," Rude mentioned. He leaned forward in the chair, placing his hand next to Reno's side on the bed. "So... want to share?"

"Thinkin' about the first night we. ..we were together. .ya had me up against the tile wall in your apartment an'. .."He blushes crimson. "I was rememberin' how good it felt and how I wondered if you were ever gonna do that again."

"DEFINITELY more interesting," Rude said, leaning a little further forward, even going so far as to scoot his chair up a little bit. Reno wasn't the only one who could be a tease; Rude just chose not to broadcast it so frequently. "Now, refresh my memory... how much did we have to drink that night?"

"A fifth of Jim Beam, a case of beer, an' a couple o' joints, too. ..we were pretty thoroughly trashed, might notta had so good a time if not for the Mary Jane, it reverse the LESS than nice side effects o' the liquor."

Oh yeah. Now he remembered. Man, were they SMASHED that night. "So... who kissed who first again?" Rude loved this game... the one where he got Reno's side of their various coming togethers.

"Not sure, think it was pretty much mutual, your chair fell over and we kinda crashed into each mouths first

Rude nodded, still smiling. "And you apologized for accidentally kissing me, and I just kissed you again..."

"An' I thought for sure you were gonna haul off n' hit me, but when you kissed me, I felt that you were as interested in me as I was you. ..and I felt. .shit, felt like I was on topa the world."

"I felt like you were on top of me," Rude said with a chuckle.

He laughs. "I'd wanted you fer so damn long. .an' ta have ya finally show some interest. ..how come you hadn't before? Aside from not being sure if I was serious or just gonna flake ya off?"

"You had quiet the reputation, Reno," Rude said. "Besides, I tried not to mix business with pleasure."

"I was searchin'. ..I felt so damn empty then. ..couldn't find anyone until you...that made me feel whole."

Rude leaned closer, pressing a small kiss to Reno's lips. "That's not what you told me before you swallowed my damn cock."

"I didn't tell anyone mucha anything then. .but damned did you taste good."

"Now, this is where my memory gets a little fuzzy," Rude said carefully. "HOW was it you got me to fuck you against the bathroom wall?"

"I'd thrown up an' was takin' a shower, you started kissin' me. .it moved from there."

Oh yeah. That's what had happened. And the redhead never did clean up his spillage, leaving Rude to scrub at dried vomit the next day. Eww.

"I never regretted getiin' you loaded 'cause it gave me you."

"I do regret that killer hangover the next day," Rude said offhandedly. And he did. And every hangover after that.

"Then the mess with the plate. ..That was. .I regret more'n anything not tellin' you what was goin' on."

Rude shrugged. He had no regrets in his life, or at least tried not to... with the exception of the recent Tifa thing.

He kissed him again.

Rude, after a moment, pushed Reno away. "You need to focus on recovering, not on getting in my pants." He was serious this time. Really. He meant it and everything.

Reno nodded, looking a bit chastened. "I love you. never forget it."

Rude nodded. "Ditto," he said, reaching out to run his fingertip over Reno's cheekbone.

"Meds makin' me sleepy. .forgot about that." His eyes blinked slowly.

Rude nodded again. "Then sleep. I'll be right here." Or, at least rather close to right there, as he was fairly certain he would have to step outside for a cigarette at least once that day.

When he awakened again it was after dark, his eyes adjusting slowly to the lower light level, he heard the TV in the background, softly playing the news. ..more kids infected. ..he shook his head. .life wasn't fair when the kids got the shaft, they'd done nothing wrong.

Rude was going into and out of a very light sleep. He'd started off watching cartoons, then flipped over to the science channel for a documentary on the history of cheese. It was rather amusing... However, he'd finally decided on the news, which usually sent him into the Land of Nod without fail. He snorted a little, shifting slightly in the uncomfortable chair.

Reno smiled, watching him. ..he never tired of watching his partner, in whatever way, shape or form that entailed. ..including watching him do some rather. .personal things, but that was a different story.

Rude mumbled something in his sleep about a purple sock, shifting again. That chair was going to give him one hell of a backache when he woke up.

Happy Drug Nurse came in with his tray, jostling the chair a little.

"Wha--what?" Rude snorted, twitching as he woke, eyes blinking quickly in the darkness.

"I just came in his supper tray. sorry to wake you."

"Ah... thank you," Rude said, which was punctuated with his stomach growling. Rude's stomach NEVER growled. He blushed, dropping his gaze. "Guess I should go find something..."

"I can bring a tray in for you, as well.

Rude glanced at Reno's tray, then back at the overly happy nurse, then back at the tray again. "If you don't mind, miss, I think I'll take my chances in the cafeteria." The fact that Rude couldn't identify a single thing on that tray spoke thousands of words as to what the hospital considered 'an appropriate meal.'

She nods, heading back out.

When he was certain the nurse couldn't hear him, Rude bent over to lay a chaste kiss on Reno's forehead. "Want me to pick you up something?"

"I heard that!" came the nurse's voice from the hallway. Damn, she had good ears.

"Please, ANYTHING but what they call food."

"I heard that, too!" Holy hell, she had really good ears.

"Cafeteria or fast food? There's a pizza place a block away..." Rude asked. He was hoping for the pizza place. It'd been a while since he'd had pizza, and the thought of it brought on a craving that made his mouth water.

"PIZZA, gods yes."

Pizza it was. "Keep your phone on," Rude said, straightening his attire before he walked out of the room. He wasn't sure how much Reno could eat in his condition, but he figured a single pie with half what Reno liked and half what Rude liked on it would suffice. It's not like the place wasn't going to be there if they had to get another one.

He shot the happy drug nurse a look. "I'm not gonna have a heart attack from a few slices of pizza, so stop givin' me that luck."

"Heart attack? No. End up obese and boyfriendless? Possibly," she grinned, winking once before stepping out of the room, leaving Reno alone.

Rude jogged towards the pizza place. It'd been weeks since he'd made it to the gym. He needed to keep his training up, otherwise he'd end up a pile of useless goo.

"I got the metabolism of a fuckin' gerbil, no way I'm gonna get fat,"

Rude stepped into the parlor, smiling slightly and nodding at the young teenage girl behind the counter. She was pretty, would blossom into a lovely flower once she grew into herself in a few years. He gave her his order, and decided that, instead of wait inside the full 20 minutes it would take for his order to be completed, he would at the very least jog around the block, maybe shadow box a little if he had a few minutes.

A few ladies gave him appreciative whistles as he went by. ..then. .a very familiar looking head of short, messy blond hair atop a very fat body. ..though he was trying to remain low profile. Probably still messed up from the building exploding.

Rude blushed slightly at the women; he wasn't used to being the one that was whistled at. However, he stopped short as he saw the man. "Bastard," he said quietly, cracking his knuckles. A quick glance showed that no one else was really around, at least, no one of significance. With a roar, Rude ran at him, barrelling him over as he tackled Corneo. He had a score to settle with the fat fuck.

Corneo sneered, he'd come prepared this time. ..a green flash from the materia on his bracer amd Rude would feel the effects of a third level bolt spell. "I'm not stupid you know, boy." He slapped the blood away from his mouth.

The way his muscles seized caused a few of the blood vessels in Rude's eyes to pop, flooding his vision briefly with red. He rolled, shoulder first, and finally stopped at the brick building of the pizza place. "Fuck!" was all Rude really could say.

"You know, some people do like them big and muscular..makes it that much more satisfying when they're finally broken. .." His grin became almost frightening.

Roaring like an animal, Rude pulled his electro-mag rod from inside his jacket pocket. He wasn't the most proficient with the weapon, but he held his own quite well. That, and a quick mental command at the materia in the handle had a reflect spell covering his ass from any other magical attacks the fat bastard wanted to throw at him.

Three more figures melted from the shadows around Corneo. ..one of them with a Despell materia...the third one was quite large. ..larger than a human shadow could be, and larger than a full-grown cuahl as well...it had a horn-shaped shadow. ..

Rude felt his reflect spell dissolve around him and swore under his breath. He couldn't take them all on by himself. No way, no how. And with no help in sight, he had a quick decision to make. Corneo, his men, and the monster on the leash all stood between him and the hospital. There had to be some way to get past them and back to the hospital. Reno had more materia on him, more than just the status ones Rude usually carried... That was it! It might not work on the Behemoth, but at least it would give him a chance around Corneo and his men. He sucked in a breath, hoping against hope it would work when he activated the slow spell hidden in the Time materia of his weapon.

The men all had their speed halved, making their movements clumsy and easily telegraphed, but the beast. .now that was going to be a problem. ..It roared, diving at him with it's head down in a very fast charge. if it managed to spear him with it, Rude would be in a WORLD of huirt, before being very, very dead, because once a behamoth smelled blood. ..well things got extremely messy, and the one bleeding normally got regarded as prey.

Three down, one charging death beast to go. He quickly put his weapon back into his jacket, reaching instead for the holstered handgun he carried as well. He made it a point to dress fully that morning, something he usually didn't do. Maybe Reno's feelings were rubbing off on him. Or maybe he was getting careful in his old age. Either way, Rude waited, rolling quickly to the side when he was certain the beast wouldn't be able to change its path. He finished rolling to his feet, holding the weapon out and firing two shots at each of Corneo's men, the fat man included. He needed to distract the beast before it came back around.

The two men dropped like a stone, Corneo of course being the coward that he is had hidden behind the beast.

Two completely down, two to go. While Rude wasn't completely confident enough to believe he could take out a raging behemoth by himself -- he knew when to run, after all -- he knew that if he could take down at least Corneo, he'd feel so much more golden. And he knew Reno would, too. It was just a matter of nailing the fat man while avoiding the beast.

Corneo let out a dark laugh. ..then pegged the Behemoth with a 1st level bolt spell. ..not enough to hurt it but certainly enough to piss it off. He hit it with another one in a place that would put it charging Rude. ..and at that short a distance it would be hard to escape being either gored or trampled.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. There was no WAY he could avoid it that time. And his original idea of the blood from Corneo's men distracting it wasn't working nearly as well as he originally expected. Fuck. He pocketed his handgun, holding his hands out as if he could honestly grab the behemoth by the horns and wrestle it to the ground. Yeah. Not in this lifetime... but it was either that or get trampled, regardless of if he were standing or running away. The monster was too fast, too strong, and Rude was silently wishing cafeteria food would have sufficed.

At the last minute it raised its head, turning on the man who'd hit it. ..effectively breaking every bone in Corneo's lover body, though it's rear legs lashed out and punted Rude right in the chest and gut.

The breath Rude didn't know he was holding was pushed from his forcefully, first from the kick, secondly from his landing on the ground. His mind worked far faster than his body, deciding that it was better to run and live than finish the job and die. IF Corneo survived again, Rude knew he could -- would -- find the man. Knowing it was his only chance, Rude touched his electro-mag rod and activated the haste spell, feeling everything around his slow down in comparison to himself.

"Rude's late, yo. .." he mused, then tried to call him.

Rude jumped when his phone rang, deciding it was the best time to turn tail and run. He glanced at the caller ID, noting it was Reno. "Troubleonthestreet," Rude said, his words blending together as they usually did under the influence of the speedy spell. "Onmywayback. Don'tworry."

"Not gonna ask."

"Probablythebestbet," Rude said, finishing with, "Bethereshortly." He hung up, chancing a glance behind him to make sure the damn behemoth wasn't going to follow him into the hospital. Wouldn't that just beat all?

Reno set his phone on the nightstand, thinking how odd it was for Rude ot have to make use of his materia on a pizza run.

No, the creature wasn't following him, but he couldn't make out if it was chewing on Corneo or Corneo's men. Either way, Rude was happy he got out alive. He burst into the hospital, the automatic dispel at the door cutting his adrenaline short from the haste. He straightened himself out, then jogged towards Reno's room. So much for pizza.

"You look like stomped shit" was the only comment he made.

Rude took a deep breath, responding with a "Better than being behemoth dinner."

"Shit, behemoth in the city? WTF?"

Rude took another deep breath, stepping to stand between the door and the redhead. "Corneo," was all he said, waiting to stop Reno from running out the door to wreak his revenge on the fat man.

Reno's face turned the most brilliant shade of red as he dragged himself out of the bed, but was immediatly floored by a hot, sharp flare of agony that ripped through his entire torso and made it feel like someone had suddenly put his heart in a vice.

"Reno." Rude's tone indicated that the redhead was to listen and follow whatever his partner said, or there would be hell to pay. Rude would not have him go out and get himself killed just to get his revenge. Besides, for all he knew, Corneo was behemoth feed. "Lay down." He gently pushed Reno back onto the bed.

Reno obeyed, simply because he didn't have a choice. ..the pain had left him half-blind and totally breathless. "shit. ." he muttered.

"Look, he could be playing cards in the damn thing's intestines right now," Rude said carefully. "He pissed off his own pet and it turned on him."

Without being summoned, as if having a sixth sense about such things, the night nurse came in, muttering something about people needing to be strapped into their beds to recover fully. She took stock of Reno's injuries before leaving to get the required pain killers.

"Good fucking riddance. .."

The nurse returned, administering the morphine to Reno. Without anything more than a reminder that he'd be dropped to either oxys or vicadins in the morning, she left.

"Remind me not to do that again, yo. ..FUK that hurt."

Rude nodded, sitting down. His stomach chose that moment to growl. "Damn... no pizza." He paused. "And I'm not having that girl deliver it with a behemoth on the loose."

"Just hit the cafeteria, yo. .I'll call Tseng and have a few grunts sent to clean up the mess."

Rude nodded, then left for the cafeteria. Damn. And he was really looking forward to that pizza.

Of a sudden several startled cries followed by a sharp scream rang out, then a yelled "Rude! I thought you said that thing was busy chewin' on Corneo and his goons! It's standin' in the door o' my room with an arm danglin' from it's jaws!"

Apparantly it had come in from the other side of the hallway, undetected because it was between shifts. and the nursing station had been empty. .which explained WHY Rude hadn't seen it.

God dammit could the day get ANY better? Rude spun on his heels, changing direction to go back towards Reno's room.

Reno had once more gotten out of bed, not like he had much of a choice. ..holding his chest as if to try to stem the at least dulled pain back while backed up against the wall, the beast just staring at him as if to size up whether he was threat or food.

Rude had his handgun in, well, hand, certain that there were only two bullets left in his modified clip. Damn. Were two bullets enought to take out a behemoth? He'd have to find out.

He ran at the creature, jumping onto its back. He used his legs to keep himself on the behemoth, then, taking a two handed grip, Rude fired both shots into the back of the monster's head.

The beast roared for a moment, then fell over.. .dead. .crushing Rude against the wall on it's way down for a few moments. the arm was clad in a rainbow colored sleeve.

As soon as he realized the behemoth wasn't going to make any more moves, Rude collapsed, the strain of pushing himself too hard finally catching up with him. His eyes flittered once, twice, then closed as he passed out.

Reno tried to push himself off the wall to get to the nurse call button, but when he tried a hissing gasp was drawn from him, even with a fair amount of morphine running in his veins, moving HURT. ..then adrenaline kicked in and he stumbled over, pushing the button before blackness began gathering at the edges of his vision.

"What the...?" The nurse started, only to have her sentence cut off by her own scream. What the hell was a behemoth doing in there? How did it get past everyone?

"It came in in between shifts..." Reno spoke between hitching gulps of air as he wavered on his feet. "Backed me into a wall."

The nurse carefully stepped around the beast, only to see Rude laying on the floor. In an instant she dropped to her knees, checking the man for a pulse.

Reno's eyes fluttered closed and he fell backwards into the wall the beast had had him pinned against. ..

The nurse pounded the call button on the wall. She needed some help. The tall, bald man was breathing, but he was quite deeply unconscious The other one, the redhead, just passed out. She needed more than just herself there.

A doctor and two more nurses came in, looking at the wreck with wide eyes for amoment before setting the big man up in the other bed inside the room and getting Reno up in his again. .they then called in a few local grunts to take care of the beast's body.

When Rude awoke, he was laying on a bed with an IV in his left arm. He was feeling a little giddy, a sign he'd been given quite the powerful painkiller. Just what had happened... yesterday...? Nevermind. It all came back to him: the pizza run, Corneo, the behemoth.

Reno on the other hand was still out. ..hard...the pain and exertion had thrown his barely recovering body for a loop.

Rude looked around, blinking since everything seemed to have a halo of light around it. "Reno?" he asked, not seeing the redhead.

"He's in the bed next to you, we thought it best to keep him sedated until he's recovered a bit."

Rude nodded, the motion causing stars to accompany the halos of light. He groaned slightly and decided sleep would be good right about... now.

When Rude awakened again the quite amused face of Elena would be hovering over him. "So. ..you guys just seem to ATTRACT bad luck."

"Don't remind me," Rude groaned, trying to sit up, feeling the world go all shakey on him, and deciding that laying back was his best bet.

A soft groan sounded over to his right, and soft green eyes opened...they were blurry with the sedatives. "Rude?"

"Reno?" Rude asked, watching as Elena stepped aside so he could see his partner.

"Hurts...wha happened?"

"Behemoth got in here..." he said, pausing for a moment to wait for the world to stop spinning. "Had to save you."

"Save?" Elena laughed. "You put two shots through the back of its head. Two low caliber shots, I might add. You, Rude, did the impossible."

"Saw you fall. ..had ta get to the call button."

Rude nodded. His head was still a little swimming.

"You two, I swear. .." Elena shook her head. "You, Reno will stay in a prone position until you are cleared to get out of bed. .."

Rude raised an eyebrow, which made the world tilt a little funny. Whatever they had him on, it was some seriously good shit. "You really think he's going to listen?" he asked.

"If he doesn't he's going to kill himself!"

Rude raised the other eyebrow. "Oh?" Was there something about Reno's injuries the redhead wasn't telling him?

"They found him completely passed out against the wall, he'd torn his incision partway open with that little stunt!"

"Reno." Rude's voice held a warning tone. Regardless of how bad the world was spinning and how much he wanted to get off, if his partner so much as moved he was going to get something thrown at him.

"Not like I much had a choice with that thing hangin' over me" he mumbled.

Rude grunted, but once again, he felt sleep tugging at his senses. It was for the best, anyway. He nodded at Elena, then closed his eyes, drifting off.

When he awakened again it would be with senses undulled by drugs. ..Reno sitting up in bed with a tray across his lap. "'bout time ya woke up, yo.

"Coffee?" Rude asked groggily. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept for... how many days straight? However, most of the pain was gone, and from the looks of his IV bag, none of it was from painkillers. Hooray for modern medicine.

"Your tray's by your bed. .you've been out for three days. ..I'm just waitin' on 'em to pull the iv line. then they're sendin' us both home."

Three days? Three days? Rude sat up, just a hair dizzy from the blood going from his head quickly. "How is the President?" he asked, looking over his tray of what the hospital claimed was 'edible'.

"Tseng told me had an attack last night, but nothin' like the others. ..he's ok today.. .comin' with Tseng when he comes ta pick us up."

Rude nodded and grunted, pulling his tray onto his lap and poking at the mounds of 'food' with his fork. He looked over at Reno. "Tell me they're bringing real food?"

"Yeah, Wutain takeout."

Rude's mouth watered, and he couldn't help the sound that eeked past his lips. "Mmm... with lo mein?"

"uhm hm.. and General Tsao's chicken. .an' that chicken with chilis you like so much."

Oh, if Rude were a lesser man, he'd be drooling. In fact, he wiped the corner of his mouth with the napkin from the tray. Now all he had to do was get down this slop. "WHAT is this supposed to be?"

"Mideelian peppercorn chicken with noodles, I think."

"Where are the noodles?" he asked, poking at the mound of mush that didn't look like a possible mound of chicken. However, he couldn't be sure which mound was which.

"I know where there's a noodle." He giggles.

Rude missed it completely. "Where?" he asked, poking under the mounds of mush on his plate. "I don't see anything...?"

Reno rolled his eyes. "If I hafta explain the joke it loses the appeal."

Rude frowned, then realization dawned on his face with an "Oh." He blushed, feeling kind of dumb for missing the joke.

"anyway, they'll be here in an hour."

"Think I can survive until then?" he asked absently, poking at his two lumps of supposed food as his stomach growled.

"Yeah."

Rude took a deep breath, then took a small bite of the food from his plate. Ew. Just ew. He would NOT spit it out, even though that's just what his body was telling him to do. He swallowed it down, pushing the tray aside with an, "I think I'll wait for the President and Tseng."

"I'm in agreement, yo."

Rude leaned back, laying on his pillow again. After a moment of silence, he said, "I need a cigarette."

"Me, too, yo..they won't let me smoke until they do one last ekg." he grumbled over that. "Wanna make sure everything healed good."

Rude sighed. No decent food, no nicotine, not even a nice cocktail in his IV bag. Damn. He was getting bored.

Tseng stepped in then, Rufus being pushed by him." Well, I see you have awakened finally."

Rude's eyes brightened. Tseng! And the President! They were supposed to have food. "Sir," he said, eyeing Rufus' lap, where an assortment of carry out boxes sat.

"I thought you might appreciate this."

Rude's eyes widened as he smiled. Yes. Food. "Sir, I believe we have found a far better method of torture than any method we've previously used." With that, Rude pointed at the two piles of mush the hospital claimed as food.

Rufus let loose a low chuckle. "Blame my father, he created the menus."

Elena chose that moment to run in, closing the door quickly behind her. She had her jacket open, her hand inside it hiding something. She nodded to everyone in the room, then, with a giant grin, laughed, "Surprise!" as she pulled a bottle of champange from her jacket.

Reno's eyes lit up bright. "Alcohol. .."

"Figured you guys could use it," she said, picking up as many of the small styrofoam cups as she could from the room. She managed to find one for each of them, herself included. "Not as elegent as I'd like, but it'll do in a pinch." She poured the champagne into the cups, offering them first to Reno and Rude, then to Rufus and Tseng before finally pouring one for herself. "Toast?" she asked, raising her cup.

Reno lifted his glass " To the man that shot a Behemoth and lived ta tell about it."

"Here here!" Elena cheered, drinking from her cup.

Rude blushed. Okay, so it WAS quite a feat, but still... he was just doing what was expected of him. Really.

"Now c'n we get outta her?"

Tseng smiled slightly, holding up the release forms. "We need your signatures." 


	17. Chapter 17

Reno eagerly grabbed the form, almost TACKLING Tseng to get it...he still had some residual soreness, but nothing like the day he dove for the call button, and that, too, would pass.

Rude took his paperwork far more casually, as if he really could care less about getting out of the hospital. However, those who knew him well -- namely, all of them -- knew that he was DYING to get out of there.

"Do I really HATFTA go out in the damn wheelchair?"

Rude stood, silently refusing the assistance of the rolling chair. He could walk; he knew he could walk. Reno, on the other hand, he wasn't entirely sure of. Which was why he insisted on pushing the redhead out. Call it his 'husbandly duty' or something like that. Besides, he had a few other ideas for his 'husbandly duty' that didn't involve an audience.

"I'm just a little sore, 'snothin' serious."

Rude 'tsk'ed him, leaning down to discreetly nibble at his partner's ear to try to get him to shut up. Just until they were alone. Nope, Rude wasn't horny at all. Not one bit.

He finally settles, it was true he'd been a bit more breathless since the incident, but he didn't think it was anything serious. It would pass like everything else having to do with it had.

They had managed to make it to the car without any major incidents. Rude was impressed.

"You will have a physician coming by to do the last of the testing before you are allowed back on full duty tomorrow morning. Please, do not be difficult with him, Reno."

Rude chuckled. He'd make sure the redhead was sufficiently too tired to give too much trouble to the poor sucker the President got to check on them. Nope, not thinking with his pants at all. He leaned forward, whispering into Reno's ear, "I missed you."

Reno's cheeks pinkened, part with embarrassment. .part. .something else altogether. "I did too."

Rude chuckled quietly again, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. "How much?"

"I'd show ya but I'd get in trouble. ..let's get inside first."

A quick nod from Rude and they were on their way. Elena, for once, decided to keep her comments to herself. She knew when to pick her battles of teasing.

As soon as they'd gotten back to Healin' Reno immediatly dragged Rude into their bed...his lips capturing his hungrily.. .and wait.. .were those TEARS. .Reno slapped a hand across his eyes and cursed himself. He'd also been finding himself with damp eyes more and more often since the Week from Hell. ..he thought it was time to change that,

Rude laughed heartily as Reno slapped at his own face, shaking his head at the silly redhead. Of all of the things Reno could do, Rude was NOT expecting that. He pulled his partner close, just holding him tightly as he laughed.

"I feel silly yo. .fuclk. .'sbeen too many times I've been findin' myself with wet eyes since Hell Week."

Rude initially thought of the original Hell Week, the first week of Turks training. However, he thought back to THAT week and realized that yeah, it was a rather hellish week. He shushed Reno, kissing around his eyes and finishing with a "That's because you're a girl."

He chuckled "fuck you, yo. ..I ain't any less a man just 'cause I happen to be more emotional than you." He kissed him again, almost devouring his mouth.

Rude pulled away slightly, tossing in a "You're welcome to prove me wrong, if you think you're MAN enough," before reclaiming Reno's lips with the hunger of a starving man.

"Oh you watch me. .I've topped ya before, ya know. ..I can do it again."

Rude removed his sunglasses, and the sparkle in his eyes was a blatent dare for Reno to try... And it also informed him that the bald man was not going down without a fight.

"Are you challengin' me?"

Rude raised an eyebrow. He slid a hand between them, a single finger tracing the hardness between Reno's legs. "You think you can win?"

Reno immediatly responded with a sly grin.. his hands finding the single spot that if tickled would send Rude into convulsions of laughter, making him easier to pin

Rude laughed loudly, trying to curl into a ball and roll onto his side. Dammit, could he really win against someone who knew EVERY ONE of his weaknesses? He wasn't sure, but as the man who took down a behemoth with two shots, he was willing to try.

Reno then found the other spot. ..the one that made him crazy with need. .kisses and nibbling it.

If Rude wasn't already hard before, he would have been at that moment. He groaned loudly, eyes rolling slightly back as he groaned again.

Reno kisses him lips and tounge dancing. ..his hands finding places that make him melt..make him willing to do almost anything Reno wanted.

ALMOST anything. Rude, in a rush of self-control, managed to pull himself together long enough to flip their positions. He did, however, make the mistake of taking a moment to gloat at his ability to resist some of what Reno threw at him.

Then Reno found a way to shift again, using his quickness he flipped them again, not taking time to gloat his hands began running over those spots again. ..one hand continued while the other grabbed a bubble tube of lube from his jacket pocket. ..tearing it open with his teeth he first dumped it on his hands, massaging Rude's back and sides. .

Rude wiggled, partially to get more contact with Reno's hands and partially to get more leverage to reverse their positions. It didn't matter that Reno's hand was covered in lube. He was NOT giving up

Reno smirks...that wiggle put his fingers right where he wanted them. ..he rubbed the crack along Rude's ass, and that last wiggle pushed a single finger inside. "Aw, now look what ya did...no use wastin' it now." And he wiggled that finger until he found. ..certain spots inside.

Rude froze at the finger inside him. It hadn't hurt, per se, he just wasn't expecting it. However, when Reno's finger brushed against that spot, he melted. Dammit. "You win," Rude moaned, trying to keep Reno's fingers in contant moving contact with that spot.

Reno grinned, he'd known he would.. .he kept that finger in place while lubing himself up with his other hand. ..then with a soft, hitching moan, he eased himself in. "Oh Gods. ... "  
m Rude twitched, just a little, upon penetration. He was so used to being the penetrator, as opposed to the penetratee, that when it happened, it always startled him just a little.

Reno took it slow... he knew that Rude wasn't used to this and he wanted it to feel good. ..but hearing moans from the bigger mn his body took over. ..driving him faster.

Rude felt his body lifting, meeting each of Reno's thrusts and causing some noise or another to fall from his lips. He reached between himself and the bed, hand wrapping around his arousal and trying to time his strokes with Reno's thrusts.

Reno nibbled his neck ..his hand reaching around to find the hardness under Rude's hips..he was gasping..panting..crying out with every thrust. ."Sweet Shiva, Rude...you feel. .so good."

"You say that... every time..." Rude mentioned, allowing a few more noises to fall from his lips between words. With one particular thrust of Reno's, though, he came, hard, covering his and Reno's hands and making a wet spot on the bedsheet.

Reno's head tilted back. .and with a loud cry and a thrust that drove Rude's face into the bed his body stiffened. ..and he filled his husband with his own essence and then fell trembling and gasping next to him.

Rude just blinked. That's really all he could do in the aftermath of his husband's lovemaking. If there was one thing about Reno, it's that the redhead was thorough in his love. However, his face crinkled as he realized he was laying, stomach first, in a nasty wetspot.  
M Reno was left breathless for a few seconds longer than usual, but he had a smile plastered to his face. "Fuck. . ."

Rude nodded, grabbing his discarded sunglasses, replacing them on his face, then carefully moving off the bed, trying to get as little of his and Reno's mess on him as possible. He looked at his redhead, blew him an air kiss, then started walking towards the shower. The last thing he wanted was to sleep in sticky.

Reno wobbled, but got up as well. ..as favor for Rude HE changed the sheets, puffing the whole way, but when he got the job completed he grinned, before falling back into the bed face first

Rude's quick shower was just that: quick. Without Reno, he could take a, literal, five minute shower. He didn't linger, though, knowing his partner should very well be asleep already.

And Reno was, with an occasional soft snore, also seemingly gained from the Loz Incident.

Rude shook his head, turning off the handful of lights in the room before climbing into bed as well. Would you look at that? Clean sheets. Reno really did love him. With a slight smile, Rude placed a kiss on his lover's nose, his sunglasses on the nightstand, and his head on the pillow. Shortly, he was out like the proverbial light.

MOrning came to a knock on the door..Reno cracked one eye. ..hearing Tseng's voice. "The doctor is here, would someone get the door please?"

Rude was finishing up in the bathroom. He'd gotten up obnoxiously early, and couldn't get back to sleep. Probably due to all the sleeping he'd done in the hospital. Regardless, he walked towards the door, toothbrush in mouth, gesturing for Reno to cover himself.

Reno quickly grabbed his sweats, pulling them up, he had to tie them a bit tighter than usual to keep them up.

Rude opened the door, dressed casually in very baggy jeans and his tight black tanktop. He nodded a greeting to Tseng and the doctor before heading back to the bathroom to finish with his teeth.

Reno was fine...oh yes. .completely fine until he saw the glint of the needle from the open bag. ..he retreated back into the bedroom. "Hate needles."

"It's probably for bloodwork," Rude mentioned to Reno, adding, "Besides, how do you think they got those tattoos on your face?" He smiled gently, then walked out to the living area where he greeted Tseng and the doctor.

"Different, they weren't wielded by white coated insane people."

And there it was. ..the raw truth of it.. every since the modifications they'd all endured as Turks he was terrified of needles when wielded by doctors.

"It's not Hojo, if it makes you feel any better," Rude called back into the room. He just wanted to get this over with so he could get on with the day, and tomorrow, go back to work.

Reno finally came out. .enduring the poking and prodding with as much grace as he could muster "Piss in this, breath into that, be hooked up to wires for half an hour and then be covered in the glue the leads leave behind." Only to be told. ..that some of the damage wasn't repairble. "It shouldn't affect your job sir, though the lung capacity on that side will likely never be completely normal again, which will make it a bit more difficult for you to catch your breath after extreme exertion." Reno looked at the doctor as if he had two heads when he'd recommended he quit smoking "With all due respect sir. ..fuck you." He said before taking his pack of Newport Kings and walking outside.

Rude shrugged, packing the unopened pack of Bahamut Flares from his bag in his hand. Asking Reno to quit smoking was like asking him not to drink... which was like asking the redhead not to fucking BREATHE. While Rude preferred to avoid the Newports -- he was a non-menthol, full flavour kind of guy -- he knew Reno's attachment to the minty feeling in his throat. That, and the nicotine. He walked outside to follow Reno, intending to at least ask him to cut back for his own sake.

He already had one lit, he looked. .almost manic. .as if he couldn't believe that he really WASN'T invincible after everything he'd survived the past couple of weeks.

Rude paused to spark his own cigarette before moving to stand next to the redhead. "Hey," he said, looking across the way at the treeline by the road.

"Can you BELIEVE that shit?" It wasn't a yell exactly, more a...high pitched tone of utter shock. "Quit smoking..shit, I love my job,I love you, but it'd drive me CRAZY if I didn't smoke."

"You'd drive me crazy," Rude said, remembering the one time Reno had to quit for three weeks of undercover work. It had been, in a word, nearly unbearable. By the end of the second week he'd wanted to strangle the redhead, feelings of love or not.

"I mean. ..a few cigarettes aren't gonnna kill me before our job does, right?  
Rude chuckled, a slight cough escaping inbetween. "With the month we've been having... probably not." He paused, finally looking at Reno. "But that doens't mean you have to stay a pack a day man."

He nods.."I guess. ..cutting back means me admitting that bastard was right. ..I don't wanna."

Rude laughed, draping his arm over Reno's shoulder. "I like to call it compromise," he said, flicking his cigarette into the dirt.

Reno shook his head. "I don't wanna believe there's anything permenantly wrong with me, dammit, well, except being insane, but I accepted that a long time ago,"

"You're not insane," Rude said. "Just... coping." He paused. "It could be worse... he could've told you to give up EVERYTHING."

"He knows better than to ask me to stop drinking. ." he chuckled, remembering what Reno with no alcohol had been like.

"At least you don't have a plate in your head," Rude mentioned offhandedly. Sometimes, when the weather and his position was right, he could swear he heard voices. Someone once told him it was stray radio signals, but sometimes... Rude wasn't entirely sure.

"That'll be next the way this month has gone, yo."

"Shh," Rude said. "Don't tempt fate. We've done it enough already."

"Don't hafta tempt her, she just hates me."

Rude sighed, rolling his eyes. "Nothing I say will make it any easier, will it?" He was getting a little frustrated with Reno's insistance on being depressive.

"I know somethin'." He suddenly quirked a smile. "Ya know me, I just hate bein' told what ta do by people in white coats."

Dammit, Reno was going to make him say it. Rude took a deep breath. "Could you cut back on the cigarettes a little?" He paused, adding the required, "For me?" to the end. There. Rude was most certainly not wearing a white coat. In fact, he wasn't wearing a coat at all.

"I c'n try.. .but warning, I'm gonna be a bear for a few weeks."

"You already are," Rude said in mock exhasperation. "However will I survive?"

"Guess it's time I started thinkin' about the future insteada always livin' in the moment, huh?

"Something like that," Rude said, just glancing around the place. Since the Doctor had cleared them, Tseng had given them the rest of the day before returning to active duty tomorrow.

"Especially since we're thinkin' about family in the future. .I wanna be around for my kid, yo."

Rude smiled. Oh yeah, he'd forgotten about the kid thing. "Yeah," he said. "Don't think I'd do well as a single parent."

"Eh, you'd do ok, just don't wanna end up with my kid messed up like I was...wouldn't be right."

"Couldn't happen." Rude was certain of that.

Reno smiled, just slightly. .it was true, this month had changed him. ..maybe matured him a little. ..so maybe something good HAD come of it, as hellish as it had been,

Rude smiled. "So, what are we doing with our day off and out of the hospital?" he asked. He preferred leaving things up to Reno, if he could. The redhead always came up with more interesting things to do than Rude.

"Well. ..we could fulfill your little fantasy. .. "

"What fantasy?" Rude had plenty. He could only imagine which one Reno wanted to do.

"Ok, I gotta go get me a new outfit for this one.. .you meet me at the seventh heaven at. ..6:30. ..then. ..well. " He grins, thinking Rude probably remembered now.

Seventh Heaven? New outfit? What the...? Rude's face suddenly filled with realization. THAT fantasy. "Oh," was all he could manage as his head went through the million different things Reno could possibly choose to wear.

Reno grinned, laying a hand on Rude's cheek in a saucy manner as he sashayed toward the shower.

Did that mean he was supposed to follow him? Well, Rude guessed he should, considering he'd have to get ready himself. He had -- he look at his watch -- a whole three hours to get ready. More than plenty of time.

Well, when Reno showed up, he had his hair loose, a face chain, a dragon claw in his free ear, leather shorts that you could almost see his ass when he bent over, leather combat boots, and a fishnet shirt.

the earring held what seemed to be a summon materia in it's it claw

Rude was already there, sitting at the bar. He was dressed in his favourite jeans, the ones with the ever growing number of holes in them. He kept the tight black tanktop, his dogtags, watch and favourite pair of fingerless gloves his only accessories. His black steel-toed work boots completed his outfit. He only had a single laquered black hoop in each of his earholes. When the door opened, he didn't even turn around. They were playing a game, afterall, and it wouldn't do to spoil it for himself. So, instead of turning, he glanced appreciatively at Tifa's round posterior.

Reno walked over and sat next to him, "Well, hello. .." He checked him out quite appreciative. "I haven't seen you around here before.Name's Reno. .." He then turns to Tifa. "I'll have what he's havin'."

Rude watched Tifa make the redhead's drink, giving a low whistle as she bends over just right to give him a flash of cleavage. He nods to the man who's sat next to him, offering a single word. "Rude."

He sipped his drink while giving him a heady look at those brilliant green eyes. .. as well as a good look at the chest that lay underneath that shirt. He then got up as the band started playing, letting him watch that fine ass move through the crowd, giving him teasing looks the whole time. ..They're playing "Closer to God" and he's mouthing the chrous at Rude. "I wanna fuck you like an animal."

Rude snorted, thinking 'bet you would' to himself. He raises his glass in a sort of salute to the redhead.

Reno saluted back, then gestures him out onto the floor. ..he has people grinding against him in rythm to the music, and it seems not to bother him at all. .. that smile that is instant hardon appears, though. .and one could see through the shorts that left little to imagination that he sported one as well.

Two could play at that game. Rude gestured Tifa over. "Hey... what's it going to take to get you in there grinding against him?" Rude? A voyeur? Never.

Tifa laughed. "For him not to start a fight in my bar?"

"Can't guarentee that," Rude said, then flashed Tifa a genuine smile. "Might end up taking him home early, though." He winked at her. "Just call it... a personal favour.

Tifa grinned, wandering out into the pile of dancing bodies. .grinding her ass against Reno suggestively.

Ah yes. THAT was nice. Rude made sure to catch Reno's eyes before raising his glass in salute again, this time with a very suggestive look in his eyes.

Reno grinned over Tifa's head at him, gesturing again. .those lips moving in kissy motions.

Rude laughed, loud and heartily. He nodded once, tilting his head as if questioning just what Reno was going to do next. If it involved groping Tifa in any way, shape, or form, he was not responsible for going out there and groping the redhead profusely.

Reno grabbed Tifa's ass hard enough to almost lift her off the floor, his face had a WILD grin.

Rude stalked out there, pressing himself against Reno HARD. He was most certain the redhead could feel just how much he'd enjoyed the show so far. However, the night was FAR from over. Rude wrapped his arm around, managed to capture Tifa in there as well, his hand splayed over her breast. He leaned forward to speak into her ear, just loud enough for Reno to hear. "You got security cameras?"

Tifa nodded. "After the last fight in here where Reds here almost ripped my bar out of the wall? You're damn straight."

Reno smirked. ..oh hell yeah. .. he felt it . .he reached back to cup Rude's erection as well.

"Better make sure they're on," he growled, giving Tifa one last grope before focusing his attention on the alluring redhead whose hand was NOT making it any easier to stay in those jeans.

Reno proceeded to grind his ass into Rude's crotch, when a slender teen, shorter than the other two with shoulder length hair, weaved his way through the crowd. ..he didn't attack, though. ..simply gave Reno an appreciative once over with gleaming eyes that had the cat like slits indicative of Jenova infestation then disappeared back into the crowd.

"That kid gives me the creeps. ..what's up with all these damn clones wantin' a free look at m'ass anyway?"

"It's such a nice ass," Rude grunted, punctuating his statement by pressing himself a little tighter against Reno's backside. "You come here by yourself?" he asked, making sure to keep up the charade.

"Sometimes after work. ."

Rude raised an eyebrow. "Meeting someone?" he asked carefully.  
M "Nope, not tonight. . .though I had hoped ta meet you.,. I saw ya at the bar, and you're just my type. "

"So long as 'your type' doesn't include 'everything with a pulse', we're all right," he said, changing his rhythm of grinding against Reno as the music changed to a darker tone with the sound of a heartbeat as the base.

"Big n' muscular is more my type." He grins.

Rude raised an eyebrow, wrapping his arms around Reno to hold his chest tightly. He squeezed just a little, muscles flexing. "Like that?" he asked, not letting the little redhead out of his grip.

"Oh fuck yeah. ..you're hot. "

"That so?" Rude asked, squeezing just a little tighter before loosening his grip and letting his hands fall to Reno's hips.

"Hell yeah it is..not sure what it is, maybe it's 'cause you look like someone who'd have no trouble protectin' me in a place like this."

Rude began pulling the redhead backwards, taking steps himself and slowly moving them away from the center of the dancefloor. "You someone that needs protection?"

"Not usually, but it feels good sometimes, ya know?"

Rude laughed, the sound coming from deep within his chest. "Nope." That one single word was filled with enough bravado to fill the entire room. Twice over.

Reno smirked, pinching his ass. "Even from horny perverts like me?"

Rude leaned forward, making sure that only Reno could hear his words spoken directly into his ear. "Ain't none better than me." How many times had he used that phrase between the ages of 14 and 23? Too many to count.

"Let's blow this stand. . .unless you'd rather bust it up first."

"Told the girl I wouldn't if she helped get your ass," Rude said, offering a wink and a nod to the currently staring Tifa. He could have sworn he saw her breathe a visable sigh of relief.

"Let's move, then.. .once I get you back to my place you'll never wanna let go."

Rude shook his head. "Got one better." He pulled Reno towards the bathrooms, going down the narrow hallway, past the restrooms, and into a small door marked 'Employees Only'.

"Oh,my, fiesty are we. ..I like. .I very much like."

Rude just smirked. He took a quick glance above them, noticing exactly where the security cameras were pointed. If Tifa played her cards right, she was about to get a tape for the ages. He pulled the redhead around the corner of a large cabinet, spinning on him almost instantly and claiming his lips fiercely.

Reno's eyes fluttered closed, he returned the kiss, his lips eager. ..wanting. . .

Rude pressed whatever advantage Reno gave him, biting gently, kissing, nipping first at his lips, then his jaw, over to his ear, down his neck.

Reno's head tilted back with a soft gasp, his leg sliding up Rude's to regain some sort of balance. . .his nerves were humming.

Rude broke away for just a moment. He pulled the bottom of Reno's shirt up, pulling it over his head but leaving it on the redhead's arms. It was a rather unthreatening, but effective way of binding his hands. With that, he resumed his Tour de Rude, nipping at the flesh of Reno's chest.

Reno's gasps became soft, hitching cries, his mouth open slightly, moving in soundless grunts. ..

He knelt down, pushing Reno's hips back against the wall as he mouthed the hardness hidden by skin tight leather. "This for me?" he growled.

Reno nodded wordlessly. ..he could not manage coherant speech at the moment.

"You clean?" Rude asked, using his mouth only, somehow, to open those shorts. He only brought his hands into play when it came to putting them down.

He nodded vigerously.his eyes clenched shut.

"If you're lying to me..." was all the warning Reno got before Rude took him into his mouth. His hands went back to the redhead's hips, holding them firmly against the wall.

Reno threw his head back, literally GROANING out his name as he did. ..

"Not in my mouth," Rude said, tugging gently at Reno's testicles in an attempt to calm him down slightly. "In fact, not unless I say so." He knew Reno would know what he meant.

Reno's face was flushed. ..he was responsive. ..but he also knew how to regain control when needed. ..he held on. ..though his body thrummed like a bowstring.

Rude chuckled almost darkly around the flesh in his mouth. Since the redhead had turned into a pile of hormones, it was his turn to do the pleasing. He stood, commanding Reno with a firm, "Knees."

Reno obeyed. ..down to his knees he went. . .nothing Rude could do to him at this point short of killing him would cause him anything but pleasure. ..

Killing Reno was most certainly NOT on the agenda for the moment. Rude quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, releasing his arousal to the slightly cool air. "No hands," he commanded, smiling seductively. "But I think you know what to do."

Reno leaned in. ..surrounding the flesh with his hungry mouth, moaning as his throat enclosed it, the leaned back up, his tounge llicking around the top like an ice cream cone. ..the his head sank down to have his tongue wrap around it. .as he brough his head back up, he kept up the suction, though Rude could see how his cock wept, the head red. ..sensitive to even the touch of the air. ..it tasted so fucking good.

He carefully threaded his fingers through Reno's spikes. "You could get off just on doing this?" he asked, almost incredulously.

He shook his head. ..he'd aleady been hard as rock just from the kissing. . .and the grinding against him earlier. .."still need touch. .but fuck you taste great."

"Show me," he growled, pressing his hips forward and thrusting into Reno's mouth.

Reno moaned. ..taking himself in hand, supporting himself with the other so he could continue his oral assault. ..he nibbled just the tiniest bit as he did so. . .but he held off until Rude told him it was allright, keeping the pace just erratic enough to do so.

Rude's hands went to brace himself on the wall, his hips moving on their own. It wasn't long before he released himself, feeling Reno swallow his seed around his still hard cock.

He moaned again as swallowed it down. ..hand still moving. ..he was fighting the buzzing and rushing along his nerves. ..but it was far from easy to do.

He took a step back, trying not to stumble as he did so. "Up. Face the wall." His commanding words were a little offset by the pure need in his voice.

Reno nodded again, this time facing the wall, baring himself for Rude with a wanton flush across his cheeks. ...he was gasping with desire now.

Rude pulled a bubble tube of lube from his pocket, happy it hadn't broken. He cracked it one-handed, letting the liquid spill over his entire hand. He leaned his upper body against the redhead as a single, questing finger delicately traced the crack of Reno's ass. "Last chance to bail," Rude offered, knowing fully, Reno or not, that there was no way he was going to be denied.

"uh-uh.. no way I'm backin' down. .." his breath still hitched fiercely, but he'd found the voice to say it.

"Good," Rude growled, forcing two fingers all the way into the redhead without warning.

Reno cried out again, his face pinkening even more, a slight sheen of sweat covering his face. ..he bucked his hips to drive the fingers further in. ..loving the way they brushed just the right spots to make him shiver,,

"Down, boy," Rude ordered, stilling his movements so completely that he appeared to even stop breathing. When the redhead did as he asked, Rude said, "Remember, not until I say so," before carefully pressing another finger in to join the first two.

A soft all over moan. ..he held on, but it required him to think of things he normally never would. .Corneo fucking Tifa. ..Jack Shinra with his pants off. ..

Rude chuckled deeply. He could feel his voice getting a little raspy with both overuse and need. He carefully almost pulled all three fingers out... before pressing them forcefully back in, gauging Reno's reaction. Didn't need the redhead to get off the instant he claimed him.

Reno bit back a gasp "Hojo jacking off. ..heidgger in the shower. ..shit shit SHIT!"

He could feel the tension rolling off his lover. Rude smiled to himself as he pulled his fingers from Reno, using what was left of the lube on his hand to coat his erection.

Jenova's headless saggy-titted body...it was getting harder and harder to come up with things grotesque enough to hold it back.

Rude placed the head of his arousal at Reno's entrance, pausing, waiting while he whispered into his lover's ear. "Do you want me inside?"

"Yeah. ..gods yeah. ..take me. .."

Rude waited. He waited. He waited more... until he was certain Reno was going to turn his head and DEMAND Rude fuck him right promptly. THEN he slowly, very, very slowly, pressed himself into his partner.

Reno bit his lip even harder. ..trying so very hard not to just splash the wall right there. .the whole idea of what they were doing was arousing enough...the knowledge he was being taped brough out the exhibitionist in him and made him even hotter.

Rude could feel as Reno's internal muscles squeezed him in an almost fluttering motion. He leaned forward, making sure to keep his mouth right next to the redhead's ear the whole time. "Remember what I said," he whispered harshly as he thrusted. "Can you wait for me?"

He nodded. .he'd held on so very well. ..and with the passion boiling in his veins he knew this one would be a doozy. ..like the last one that first night where he'd passed out afterward,

Rude was not a lover without compassion. The second he felt himself reach the point of no return, he snaked his hand around to grasp at Reno. "Ready?" he asked breathlessly.

He nodded, his eyes already fluttering. ..

"Now." With that single word, whispered in Reno's ear, Rude released himself within his lover, a loud groan coming unbidden from his throat.

Reno screeched. ..spraying the wall with great force as wave after wave rolled over him. ..body shuddering. ..as the last one shook him he went limp. ..his eyes roling back with a soft groan. ..it had as he predicted knocked him out.

Rude fumbled a little, trying to enjoy his and Reno's orgasms while trying to catch the redhead from falling and giving himself another head trauma. He carefully pulled himself from Reno's body, looking directly at the secutiry camera that was pointed right at them. "Enjoy the show?" he asked it as he set about making himself presentable enough to walk through the bar and back to where they were staying.

Tifa grinned "Hell ya."

Rude managed to NOT have to beat the shit out of anyone between the Seventh Heaven and their room. It was a small miracle. He quickly and efficiently undressed both himself and Reno, setting the redhead on the bed while he went into the bathroom for a washcloth to clean them both up with. 


	18. Chapter 18

Reno floated somwhere between oblivian and awarenessas Rude ran the soft cloth over him, a soft smile lighting his face. He had thoroughly enjoyed that night.

Rude had enjoyed it as well... and he was fairly certain Tifa did, too. He wondered what it was going to take to get a copy of that tape off the girl.

No need to ask, for a small package was slipped through the mailslot in the door.

However, Rude didn't notice, as the exhaustion from the night's activities was quickly catching up with him. He tossed the washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom and crashed. Literally and figuratively.

Reno as morning came noted he was in an unfamailiar bed. .Then he remembered last night and and looked at the clock. Crap! "Rude, it's 9 ! We gotta call the boss an' let him know we're running a little behind!"

A little behind? More like HORRIBLY late. Rude was up, out of the bed, and awake in an instant.

OK, so they'd been a little tireder than they'd thought, while Rude was takng care of his morning routine Reno was calling Tseng. "Yeah, we'll be on our way in 30 minutes, maybe less. .We're REALLY sorry. ..I forgot to set the alarm,"

He didn't add that the reason he hadn't was that he'd passed out in the restroom after the best sex he'd had in months.

Rude was completely dressed and questing for coffee within 10 minutes of waking. Efficient? Him. Never.

Reno had pulled his uniform on and pulled his hair into SOME semblance of order as well, Though he'd definatly have to shower and wash it when they got back to Healin after work.

There it was. Horrible tasting, but workable, instant, single serve coffee bags. He poured some hot water from the faucet into a pair of styrofoam mugs and set the bags in there to steep. It was going to be rough... but instant coffee was better than no coffee.

"Called Tseng, I think he knows more'n he let on." Reno chuckles softly.  
"He always does," Rude answered, finally offering Reno a cup of the swill the package called coffee.

Reno downed it, not even noticing the taste, He seemed cheerier than he had after his exam, as well he should.

Rude grimaced after each sip, finally deciding Reno's idea of downing it was easier on the palette. "Ready?" he asked, straightening his tie.

"Yeah, We got guard duty this morning. ..fun."

Joy, Rude thought. As wonderfully boring as guard duty could be, it would be a nice change from all the drama from the past month. However, it did tend to make his feet hurt. Maybe he needed some new shoes.

"At least it ain't for the old man anymore. ..he used ta cop feels every time he walked by me."

Did he? Rude never really noticed that. However, the late president ShinRa did have this thing about perfection. Rude would never forget the one time he'd shown up for guard duty with a small scuff on his shoe. He'd never heard the end of it, and it made him constantly check his appearance prior to walking into the office. He still did that, on occassion, even though he was certain Rufus wouldn't care, so long as he showed up wearing pants. And he was fairly certain, on the right days, even pants were optional.

Then they were out of the room and on the road Reno had had the forethought to bring the car this time instead of his bike so his hair would at least not be TOO horribly windblown.

Rude was feeling brave, letting Reno drive and all. Besides, he couldn't quite get that little smudge off his sunglasses for the life of him. How did he get a smudge right over his eye?

"I think I caught your shades as I passed out last night, sorry, big guy."

Rude shrugged. It wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last. He reached over to grab the end of Reno's untucked shirt. He didn't want to mess his up by untucking, then trying to re-tuck in the car.

Reno layed on the horn as traffic came to a very SUDDEN stop in front of them.

Rude was rather happy he used his seatbelt. "What the fuck?" he asked, happy he'd finally gotten the damn smudge out.

Reno grunted. "Looks like a fairly nasty accident. .."

Rude raised an eyebrow, questioning if they should wait in traffic or go investigate. Knowing Reno, he'd probably want to investigate. He was a busybody like that.

Reno stepped out of the car to find two cars wrecked, and the driver of one descrbing an odd monster seemingly appearing out of nowhere that had caused the accident. The cars were in the process of being moved off the road.

Rude followed a small distance behind Reno, just taking in the situation. The cars were totalled, but it seemed the drivers and their passangers were okay. He stepped into the middle of the road and began directing traffic around the vehicles.

"Seems ever since those fucking clones showed up we've been havin' more an' more occurances like this.

Rude nodded, smiling easily at the woman who flipped him off. Ahh, road rage. While Rude wasn't one to do it, one day, that woman was going to run into someone carrying a gun and just as full of rage as she was. At least, that's what Rude thought about people who got pissed off about other people's driving.

Reno yelped as the creature suddenly melted out of the ground behind him, emr out afaster than one could blink, he whacked at it the thing and it suddenly dissolved. "What the FUCK!"

Rude's eyes widened, and not because a car full of probably underaged girls were flashing him... however, THAT sight was causing the slight blush. "What... was that?" he asked.

"Got no fuckin' idea, just know I never wanna see it again."

"Keep your eyes open," Rude said, glancing over at Reno, then at the almost cleared wreackage. He waved another car past, refusing to notice the overly pale posterior hanging out the window.

The authorities finally got the accident cleared, and they were on their way again. "We gotta tell the boss about those things, he'll wanna figure out a way to protect the resta the citizens from 'em.

Rude nodded. He wasn't sure how the President would manage that, what with ShinRa being in a state of non-power in its current, totally only five member, state.

"Which probably is gonna mean us." He grimaces at the thought.

"Just think of the overtime," Rude mentioned with a small smile. However, he was rolling on the floor laughing on the inside. Them? Overtime? Hell, they hadn't pulled in a paycheck since the Meteor incident.

"Rufus is payin' us what little we are gettin' from his own pocket, so yeah, overtime, heh."

"He doesn't have to," Rude mentioned. He knew, and he knew that Reno knew, that Rufus knew that being paid wasn't why they stayed around after Meteor. It was just that... well... they were Turks. It was what Turks did.

Reno nodded "I stayed around 'cause I owe him. .and this company. .my life, really. You know what I was when they first recruited me, all o' maybe 135 pounds, runnin'. .. that blond bastard woulda caught me eventually and I woulda been without backup."

Rude smiled. And, with a little bit of luck, that fat fuck was currently a pile of behemoth droppings in the city's garbage yard.

Or in the floor of the hospital room they'd vacated two days prior. ..that rainbow colored sleeve had looked familiar.

As Reno parked the car, Rude took a deep breath, unconsciously checking to make sure his appearance was perfect. Having something drilled into your head by the late president wasn't something you forgot easily... even with his significantly more laid back son.

Reno immediatly went to report what they'd seen to the president. "The thing caused a nasty accident on the way in, which is why we're a little later than expected, Rude kept the resta the traffic back so the aciident reconstruction folk could haul the cars out."

Rude nodded, moving to take his place beside his partner. He stood silently at parade rest, knowing Reno would explain everything the President needed to know.

"I think they got somethin' ta do with the clones that have been runnin' around the city lately. onea 'em must be able to control the things."

Rude took that moment to glance around the room. There were a pair of Turks missing, he noticed rather quickly. However, it wasn't his place to interrupt. He could wait.

"Elena and Tseng are fueling the chopper. .if what you've told me is true. ..there could be only one thing they are after. ..Reno, you will fly them to the crater to retreive Jenova's head. Those clones must under NO circumstances gain posession of it."

"Jenova's head?" Rude asked. He thought she was destroyed along with Sephiroth.

"Her head remains sealed in a hazard container and was buried in a hidden spot within the crater. .on Father's order. .It must be destroyed, but first. ..I intend to use it to lure the clones into the open."

"Are you sure that's... safe, sir?" Rude asked. He wasn't entirely sure, but he was rather convinced that of the clones they'd met, all four Turks working as a single, coherent unit wouldn't be able to subdue them without a little divine intervention.

"I plan on requesting Strife's assistance as well. I understand the two of you are in Miss Lockhart's good graces once more. .he is, or last I heard WAS living with her. ..I need you to speak to him, see if you can convince him to help us. He, after all, does have a vested interest in protecting the world from anything that may be left of Sephiroth, correct?"

Rude blushed at the mention of Tifa. He hoped she wouldn't end up sending the President a copy of that tape as a joke. He would NEVER live it down. Ever.

"Yes sir."

Rude looked over at Reno. "You call her." He wasn't sure he could NOT stutter and blush profusely just speaking to the woman.

"course." He picked up his phone, calling her. "I know you remember me, yo"

"Yeah, I remember yo, you. So, you need me to talk to Cloud? he's on a run now, he's been running a delivery service since we defeated Meteor."

Rude tried not to fidget. Really he did. He just hoped, the girl being on speakerphone and all, wouldn't mention that tape.

"I got a package for you guys when you come back. ..an' yeah, I'll call him. Can't guarantee he'll help, but I'll call."

Whew. Rude's mental sigh of relief was almost audible. He turned to the President. "While they're gone, what do you need me to do?"

"You still have guard duty, I need one of you here, since defending myself would be fairly difficult."

Rude smiled gently. He knew how much Rufus HATED being dependant on someone else. "Yes, sir," he said, moving to take his place slightly behind and to the President's right. He was... comfortable, there.

Reno was quickly out to the chopper. doing pre-flight checks. ..he HATED doing missions without his partner, hated it with a passion, but one of them was needed with the president, and Tseng new the crater better than anyone else. but to put him alone on this wouldn't work, so he ended up with Elena, Reno was the more skilled pilot, so he ended up flying.

Rude puttered about the room, making a pot of the herbal tea that Tseng had gotten Rufus addicted to. If nothing more, it would make the blonde feel a little better. However, for some reason, he was having a bad feeling about the mission to the crater. Call it a hunch. Call it hanging out with Reno too much. Call it indigestion, if you wanted to. But still, it was a bad feeling.

"You seem troubled, Rude. ..tell me, what is it that troubles you?"

"I'm not sure, sir," Rude said, handing the saucer and teacup to Rufus. "There seems to be a... a sort of quickening, sir. Kind of like the planet preparing for another crisis. I can... It's just a feeling I have."

"This mission troubles you then? You can trust that Tseng and Elena will do all in their power to protect your partner. ..and I am assured YOU and your fellow Turks will do your best to protect me and the rest of the people. The world may be in chaos. .but that does not mean I do not feel some responsibility to the people."

He was most DEFINITLY hanging out with Reno too much, picking up some of his habits and everything. "But it's not Reno I'm worried about, sir."

"Tell me then, what is it that worries you so? you and Reno's instincts have so often proven to be correct."

Rude sighed, moving his hands as if he could scoop the words right out of the air. After a moment, he gave up, dropping his arms to his sides in defeat. "I... I don't know what EXACTLY is bothering me. It's just... the whole thing in general. I'm sorry, sir."

"It is quite allright. When you figure it out just tell me,"

Rude sighed. He hated it when words elluded him.

Reno meanwhile was now hovering above the crater, after having lowered Tseng and Elena into it.

"Where, exactly, are we going, sir?" Elena asked. She had her handgun out, holding it loosely in her grip. The surroundings, the eerie sounds... it was giving her the creeps.

Tseng led her back to the spot where the head had been buried beginning to unearth it. "There it is."

Elena stayed standing, eyes darting around, looking for any sign of trouble.

Tseng showed her the head, which sent her nose crinkling.

"Ew," she said. "Remind me never to become a world eating alien." She froze. A sound, off to the side, and not a normal sound for the area. "Shh... what was that?" she said very quietly.

Another gunshot echoed from the cavern wall, it struck Tseng in the shoulder, sending him spinning to the ground...only to be looking straight into the cat-slit green eyes of the long-haired clone.

"Hello, lovely," the long-haired man said.

Elena brought her gun to bear, aiming for the man's head. She knew they were fast, knew that was why Reno was hospitalized earlier that week, but instincts told her to shoot. So she did. However, her shot went wide as something large slammed into her, knocking the wind from her lungs.

Loz smirked at her as his dual hound buried itself into her chest.

Tseng had already called Reno down to make the retrieval, he threw him the container, and yelled "Go! Go! GO!"

Reno took off in a hurry with the box, it was his duty...but his eyes lingered on the crater as he did. He hated leaving his comrades. .no, not just comrades, but FRIENDS, behind.

"Hey, Loz," the long-haired man said, voice dripping with something akin to an arousing promise. He straddled Tseng's body, moving gloved fingers over the elder man's face. "Want to play?"

Elena's eyes widened at the smirk that crossed this Loz's face, then shrieked as her body was wracked with pain.

Loz smirked "You know me well, Otosan."

Meanwhile, Rude was pacing a hole in the floor, and he was certain that, were Rufus able to stand, he would be too.

Reno called in "I have the head sir. ..but Tseng and Elena have been captured. .." He knew.. that news would hit Rufus like a bullet, and he'd not wanted to be the one to deliver it.

Rufus seemed to almost draw in on himself. ..not quite a wince, but as close as he came. "understood."

Rude took the phone before Rufus dropped it. "Reno?" he said into the phone. "What is it? What went wrong?"

"THEY were there.. .the bastard that damn near raped me at the bar. ..and the one that used me as a shield. ..Tseng sent me away with the head."

"And Elena?" Rude was certain he didn't have to ask, but he did anyway.

"They took them both. .it was escape with the head or fail the mission. ."

"Fuck." And that was the one and only time Rude had EVER used vulgarity in front of the President. He glanced over to Rufus, seeing how quickly he was withdrawing from everything around him. Rude took a deep breath, deciding that, if Rufus couldn't make the desicions and Tseng wasn't there, he, as most senior Turk, was in charge. "Bring the head here, then we'll plan for a recovery mission."

Rufus seemed to simply shrug the encroaching fear off as one would an old coat.He was after all not the man one never saw bleed or cry for nothing. "Rude is correct bring the head here. .I will inform you what I wish done with it when you arrive."

"We need help," Rude said plainly. He hated saying it, hated it far more than he would ever let on. It implied failure, and if there was one thing he was NOT, it was a failure.

"Cloud will come once Tifa contacts him, if only from curiosity."

"We don't know that," Rude protested. Even though Cloud was, in his own words, 'one of the good guys', that didn't mean he was going to show up, or help them, even.

"She will tell him Sephiroth is involved. ..once he hears that he will come."

Rude kept his protests to himself. They had to plan for the eventuality that Cloud WOULDN'T come... or worse, would come and decide not to help. They had to tread very lightly with that man.

Reno came back 20 minutes later with the box, his jaw set in a way which said he'd hated leaving them behind

Rude took the box from Reno, handing it to the President, then turning back to the redhead. With a grim look on his face, he firmly embraced his partner, just happy he made it back in one piece.

"I shoulda tried to get them out, dammit. .you know how I hate leaving comrades in the hands of people like that."

"You did... what you had to do," Rude said softly. He pulled away from Reno before speaking again. "Now, we need a plan to rescue them."

"Don't make me feel any better about doin' it yo. ..how are we gonna tell Em?"

"We don't," Rude replied simply. "At least... not until we know for sure."

A knock sounded at the door, and despite what Tifa had seen, this was business if it was who he was sure it was, and being seen with your partner's arms over your shoulders was NOT a good thing while doing business, so he stepped away from Rude, drew his emr, and answered the door.

Rude had taken the President into the other room. No sense having the diseased man getting in the middle of a possible brawl. Knowing the way Reno and Cloud got along... it was more than possible.

Cloud when he opened the door drew his sword, which Reno immediatly parried. ..they then circled for a few moments until Reno finally dove at him. ..he then sidestepped so that Reno ran past him, damn near toppling over the railing as he hit. After he did so he shut and locked the door.

He may have helped Reno when he was dying. ..but that didn't mean he liked the Turk.

Reno felt the door slam in his face, and his irritation grew. "So you're good"

Rude tried to hold back the laugh, really tried. Had appearances to keep up, after all. He stepped into the room, a very slight smirk on his face as he flicked his wrist, extending his own weapon... just in time to get a buster sword laid against his throat. Rude grunted, acknowledging Cloud's speed.

Reno says through the door "Go Rude, lookin' sharp, yo!"

Cloud simply looked at him. "What's this about?"

Rude backed off, hearing the click of the President's wheelchair as he entered the room. He stepped back without more than another grunt. Better to let the more eloquent man speak.

Cloud let the tiniest of smirks touch his lips. "Rufus Shinra? Man. ..do I feel sorry for you."

Rude's hand went to his tie. That nervous sign again.

Rufus took a deep breath before he started. He knew he had to choose his words carefully, otherwise the ex-SOLDIER was likely to misunderstand his intentions. "The day of the explosion..." he started.

"What do you want from me?"

Rufus continued. Cloud had to know the whole story. "I manged to get..."

"I'm leaving! "

Fine. Cloud wanted it the hard way, Rufus ShinRa could play the hard way. He raised his hand, letting the sheet fall just enough to show the disease covering it. "We need your assistance, Cloud."

"Not intrested. " Cloud was beginning to look impatient

Rufus bowed his head. Now was the time to begin to show his hand. "I awknowledge that Shinra owes the planet a lot," he said, knowing that it would help his case to show Cloud just how much different he was from his father. "It goes without saying that my company and I put the world in the sorry state it's in. Therefore, it's our responsibility to set things right." And it was something Rufus really, truly believed.

Reno pipes up in an annoyed fashion "I'm still out here!"

Rude knew that. Rufus knew that. But they both also knew that Reno was not well known for his... tact. "As a first step, we have commenced an investigation in Sephiroth's wake."

"Yup, at the Northern Caves! "

Rufus mentally rolled his eyes. "What do you think we found?" He paused, not fully expecting Cloud to answer at all. "Nothing. Nothing at all. You can relax, however, not all is like planned... we were interrupted by the same three that attacked you, Kadaj and his gang."

Cloud's eyes closed a moment in thought. "Kadaj. . ."

"It seems he doesn't want us finishing what we started. Really, what could they be thinking?" Rufus was throwing out all the stops in the rhetorical question category today.

"What does that have to do with me?"

Reno's tone held a somewhat sarcastic tinge to it "You're our buddy, aren't ya!"

Rufus mentally told Reno to shut up and let him do the talking, but he knew the redhead couldn't read minds. "Kadaj's group is young and violent - as dangerous as they come. That's why we decided it would be in our best interest to hire a little muscle," He explained.

"Too bad, I'm a delivery boy now."

Rufus sighed. They were getting nowhere, fast. "You're all I have. Cloud..." Okay, time to switch tactics. "Look, You're an ex-SOLDIER, aren't you?"

"... In my head." Cloud reached over and opened the door What's this stuff about 'Mother'? "

"Mother? Hmm... "Why, did Kadaj say something to you?" At Cloud's silence, Rufus continued. "No surprise. There are plenty of kids who miss their mothers. That's the world we live in." Rufus paused, making sure he still had Cloud's full attention. "I hear there are orphans living with you." He watched the blonde's eyebrow raise, then finished. "Think about it - don't you want to put smiles back on their faces? All we want in the end is to rebuild our world, Cloud."

Cloud looks unsure "But, I."..

Reno peeks in through the doorway "C'mon, Cloud, think about it. Together we can rebuild Shinra. "

With that, Cloud slams his way past them and out the door.

"Reno." Rude shook his head. He KNEW the redhead was going to say something that would set Cloud off. Dammit. Now they really couldn't count on the ex-SOLDIER's help.

Reno knew it too. ..and cursed himself for ten different kinds of idiot as he strode back inside. ..just as the door opened again and with a swift blow his breath leaves him. ..then another to the back of his head in the same site as the previous injury that left his ears ringing.

"Cloud!" Rude called, realizing shortly after he said it that the hair covering the offending person's head was silver, not blonde. "You," he growled, noticing Kadaj and the long-haired man chuckling to themselves.

Loz chuckled darkly. "The little redhead is yours to play with Yazoo. ..the big man, however, is mine."

The third one? Loz was his name? Where did he come from? Rude blinked. All three of them. There. His eyes widened as he moved himself to stand between them and the President. He would protect Rufus ShinRa, or die trying.

Kadaj gave a similar smirk. "Yes. .you owe him for that little display at the club, don't you. ..have at it, Yazoo. ..didn't you tell me how good you thought he'd feel?"

Reno suddenly began struggling, he KNEW where this is going ..and he didn't like the idea one bit.

"Display?" Rude barked. "What display?" He fell into a fighting stance, trying to keep himself between the three and the President. He was slightly torn: his duty to the President, or his duty to his husband?

"He told us about this one here going all limit break on him..he hurt Yazoo. .now Yazoo has the opportunity to hurt him if he wishes."

"NO!" Rude shouted, throwing himself at the one identified as Yazoo. However, Loz stepped between them, and with one hand knocked Rude to the ground.

Loz then slapped a struggling Reno in the head. "you may as ell give it up. .he may look little, but he's strong."

"Gentlemen," Rufus said firmly, speaking up finally. He was NOT going to just sit back and watch. "Let's be a little more civil, shall we?"

Kadaj sneered. "And why would we want to do that. ..you have something we want. ..and that sniveling brat owes my brother a debt."

Rufus sighed. "Children," he said, knowing the trio would NOT enjoy the taunting. "A debt of that small magnitude does not require a larger repayment... especially repayment in blood. I will not allow you to do that to my people."

Yazoo gave Reno one last ringing punch and a fierce kiss to taunt Rude before climbing off him. . .Loz also gave Rude one more fierce hit before climbing off him.

Kadaj looked straight at Rufus "Boy do I hate liers."

Rude's ears were ringing... or was he hearing voices in his head from the metal plate? He really couldn't tell.

"I aplogize." Ah yes, Rufus thought. Now we get down to business. "This time you get the truth. The object you seek fell from the helicoptor while we were running from you." He paused, sparing a glance at his injured Turks. "I'm afraid we were careless."

Reno's eyelids fluttered as he fought to stay awake. . .he HURT, that much he knew.

"Is that right?" Kadaj's tone of voice said he didn't believe a word.

"I swear it." Rufus' voice was a mixture of honesty and lofty amusement.

Kadaj displayed the two bloodied ids. "Fine. ..then swear on these!" he tossed them to the floor.

Rufus tried to school his face, but failed as he nearly gasped at the cards. "Why did you do this?"

"We need MOther's power."

Ah. The Reunion that the clones had spoken of during the Sephiroth incident. "Reunion..."

Kadaj paced and gestured wildly as he spoke "My brothers and sisters who all share Mother's cells will all asemble, and together we'll take revenge on the planet! We already sent out the invitations, but... " He laughs darkly. "you know, someone's gone and hidden the guest of honor."

A lesser man would have responded with 'psycho.' Rufus, however, was NOT a lesser man. "Invitations?"

"The stigma. But you know all about that, Sir." as he stepped back he spread his arms in the manner of a showman "Mother's legacy lives on in the Lifestream and makes it happen. She does... so much for us, and we... we don't even know where to find her! But what can we do? We're just remnants. Really, remnants of Mother's legacy. Until we find Mother and recieve cells, we can't be whole again. Geostigma and a legacy aren't enough for a true reunion. " Eith that, he turns, his eyes narrowing on Rufus.

It made no sense... "What do you mean?"

Kadaj kneels in front of him, "But, I'm sure you've already noticed. " With that, his features flicker from his own. ..to Sephiroth's. ..and back. He then stands, gesturing to his brothers, he turns. "If I find out you've lied to me. .you will not like the result." He then strides out, Yazoo and Loz trailing out behind him.

Rufus gasped at the resemblence. There. THAT was what had been disturbing him about the entire situation. When they left, he let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Reno...? Rude...? Are you all right?" he asked.

Reno sits up, holding his pounding head, finally managing to hold his eyes open, though they're at half-mast. "Nothin' a potion or two can't handle. ..ugh. ..for a lil' guy he's got quite a punch."

Rude let out a sound that resembled a grunt, "Sir." He kept his hand to his head, his ears, or his plate, still ringing.

Reno did not want to dwell on what that little bastard had intended to do to him, though he had been able to feel the slender silver-hair's erection through the hard leather.

"We do not have Cloud's help," Rufus said, speaking his thoughts out loud to help focus them into their next plan of attack. "Kadaj's gang is looking for Jenova, and they are willing to kill to get it. There is some sort of reunion planned between them and Jenova... which is the cause of the stigma."

"I'll follow Cloud, if ya like. ..maybe. .I can rectify my mistake. ..Sir."

"Yes... please do. And take Rude with you," Rufus said, still looking thoughtful.

"Sir?" Rude asked, finally standing. Someone needed to stay there and guard the President.

"I do not think they'll be coming back soon," Rufus replied. "Besides, were I fully healthy, I don't believe we could stand up to them, physically."

Reno nodded, striding out with Rude in front of him, he grabbed a quick hug, as unprofessional as that might be, as he did. If there was a chance they were going to die he was going to take every small gesture he could.

Rude saluted the President, silently vowing not to fail him again as he left with Reno.

Just after they left, Vincent strode in without even bothering to knock. .he had a still pale Elena in his arms, and Tseng using his shoulder for support. "I believe, sir, that these two lost souls belong to you." was all he said as he settled Elena into a bed, then helped Tseng sit.

Rufus forced himself to stand, shuffling over before collapsing into Tseng's lap. "Tseng," he breathed, eyes and voice showing just how young he really was.

Tseng nodded "I am. ..alive sir, though how much more than that I cannot truly say as yet."

He ran his fingers very tenderly through the silky blond strands. "I have missed you as well, my dear heart." It was usually Tseng's private endearment for him, but with as close as things had been. ..he'd not begrudge his lover the use of it in front of the one who had saved him.

Rufus just breathed Tseng's scent for a moment, before looking up at the former Turk. "Thank you," he said, his entire gratitude at the return of his thought lost lover in those two words. "For both of them," he finished, looking over at Elena.

Vincent nodded, a hint of a smile showing "Turks always look out for one another." With that he strode out.

"You are... alive," Rufus breathed, pressing his face into Tseng's abdomen as he knelt on the floor. His form began to shake... not from the stigma.

"Yes, he rescued us, sir. .." Tseng lifted Rufus' head, capturing his lips in a tender kiss. ..finding himself wishing Rufus had the strength for more. ..he wanted more. ..much more.

Rufus heard Elena groan a little, and turned to look in her direction. His time with the trio fresh in his memory, his face turned white as he asked Tseng, "Elena? They didn't..." he didn't want to say the word. "Did they?"

Tseng shook his head "They would have sir. ..but he reached us just in time. ..apparantly he'd been following the three."He shuddered a bit "The one had a message for Reno, sir. 'I'll find you when the time is right. ..when I do you'd best be prepared to cover your backside.'"

"Help me back to my chair, Tseng... please," Rufus asked. He could not stay on his knees between Tseng's legs all day and not take advantage of the situation. Besides, he had a strategy to plan.

Tseng helped him back in, his hands trembling, he was still slightly dizzy from the blood loss the injuries he'd sustained during the torture had caused. 


	19. Chapter 19

Rufus, having slipped back into his norm of decorum, began relaying the situation to Tseng. "We were... attacked, by Kadaj's gang."

Tseng nodded, then began relaying a plan,. "It will require you to keep anyone from discovering you can walk at least short distances until the moment is right. You know we will not let you fall."

"That," Rufus said, grinding his teeth through another small attack from the illness. "That will not be difficult, I'm afraid."

Tseng helps him into his bath. .then rewraps the lesions, running his fingers through is hair comfortingly. His phone rang, and he picked it up.

"Yo, all the kids in the city are gone! Even Em's gone. .but we did find Cloud and Tifa at the church. ..we're gonna take 'em back to the seventh heaven and let 'em know about the kids as soon as they wake up. Looks like mr Big n' Ugly got aholda Tifa."

"The children are key," Rufus said carefully, face drawn in thought. "Even... ESPECIALLY those with the Geostigma." He looked at Tseng. "Tell them to stay with Cloud and Miss Lockheart. We will need all the help we can get if we are to defeat them and rescue the children."

"He wants you to stay with them, try to get Cloud to help us. .mayhap using the children will be just the angle you need.

"Yes sir."

Rufus gestured for the phone, taking it and saying, "We leave the safety of the children in your capable hands, gentlemen. Don't disappoint me."

"I won't boss."

Rufus hung up, looking back at Tseng. "Now, tell me of this plan of yours."

"It involves Reno and Rude keeping the attention of the two subordinates, while you speak with the other in one of the buildings nearby, You will be carrying the head in your lap.." He also explains how one they have drawn Yazoo and Loz's attention they will be instructed to use a bomb in order to destroy the other two remnants. Then the throwing off of the box, the shots to destroy it, with luck taking the remnants with it.

"I see," Rufus said, working out his end of the plan in his head. "And how do you and Elena fit into this?"

"We wil be there to catch you. ..in case of more desperate measures being needed."

"I see," Rufus said again. He paused in thought, then looked up at Tseng with a most determined look in his eyes. "Make it happen, Tseng. We don't have time for second chances."

"Yes sir."

With that he left to put things into motion.

Rufus watched Tseng leave, then leaned back in his chair. "Please," he whispered to no one in particular. "Please let this work..."

Cloud meanwhile shook his head to clear it. ..light streaming through the window, but it's dim, very dim.

"Ya know, you're pretty heavy yo."

Rude stood there, just watching Tifa sleep. He couldn't help himself; he WAS a man afterall...

"Weren't there..." he paused, making sure he had Cloud's attention before continuing. "... some kids living with you?" For being an orphanage, the place was shockingly empty.

"'Cause they ain't here."

Rude was mildly taken aback by Cloud's non-answer. "You don't care?" he said, a hint of disgust in his voice. And to think, he'd convinced Reno to let Emily stay there...

"I just. .."He looks over at Tifa as if searching for answers there.

"You're a real handful. ." Reno shakes his head with a sigh of frustration as he goes to look for the kids with Rude.

Rude shut the door behind him, pausing for a moment at the eerie silence of the place. He shook his head, heading down the stairs behind Reno. "Well..." he said, "That went... poorly."

"Yeah, it did. .guy's more fucked in the head than I am. Need ta find the kids, yo. ..Em's gonna be scared to death."

"She's stronger than you think," Rude offered, knowing that if the girl shared any blood at all with Reno... she wouldn't give up without a fight. "And," Rude said, a slow smile crossing his face as he opened his phone. "thanks to Elena, she's got a tracking device on her."

"Smart cookie." Reno grinned "Don' let me forget to tell that girl how much I love her when we get back. "

Soon they've followed to the ancient city of Ajit. ..just in time to see Kadaj enspelling the kids. "Shit you. ..we better get back an' let Spikehead know about this."

Rude nodded, pausing just long enough to take a few more pictures with his phone. Just in case Cloud wasn't feeling 'up to it'... he figured a picture was worth more than a thousand words... especially of that little boy he was so fond of.

Reno gave one last longing back at his little cousin, shivering at the eerie way her normally mint-green eyes had turned a darker emerald and the pupils had become slitted.

Rude poked his head through the Seventh Heaven's doors, listening carefully. There. Voices. Upstairs... Still? Rude frowned, gesturing for Reno to lead them to the pair.

He nodded, walking upstairs, apparantly walking in on the middle of an argument.

Rude chuckled to himself. He heard Tifa's voice saying "I guess that only works for real families..." as they walked in, unnoticed.

"Tifa. ." Cloud blows air through his lips in a frustrated manner. "I'm not fit to help anyone anymore. .not friends, not family. ..nobody."

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Dilly dilly, shilly shally." She paused, sighing before she continued. "Dilly dally, shilly shally!"

Reno gets a rather frustrated expression. "I think she wants you to move on, man."

Rude chuckled at the slightly jump both Cloud and Tifa gave.

"Did you find them!" Tifa asked.

"Nope, just a witness." He didn't tell Tifa he had as vested a stake in getting the kids back as she did. He paused for a moment. "Kadaj's gang took the kids."

"Where are they?" Cloud began to show the tiniest bit of his old fire."

Rude cleared his throat. "They're at their base now." He paused, making sure both Tifa and Cloud were listening very carefully. "The Forgotten City."

Cloud nodded, his eyes narrowing he took off.

Cloud returned quickly, as if he'd forgotten something. "Go," he told the two Turks. "I have to talk to Rufus."

"Stop Running!" Tifa yelled. "I know! Even if you find the kids you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never unhappen, that scares you, doesn't it?" She was on a roll, letting it all out at once. "But you need to think about now. Really take it in! Look at you, you think you've got it so damn hard. Well, you hate being alone, so let people in! Sure, you may not answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing it away, either."

"You go. .base is all yours." When he walks out he shoots Rude a look that says. "Like I had to, he has to figure it out for himself."

"You're right," Rude said, following Reno. "He IS more messed up than you."

"Yeah...we better get some rest while we can, yo, we got an early morning."

Rude nodded, a small yawn escaping his mouth. Sleep was an excellent idea.

He mutters "Fucking Remnants. .creepy ass fuckers."

Rude followed Reno back to the small, abandoned townhouse they were sleeping in. He didn't even bother looking for food as his feet shuffled across the floor towards the stairway. "Bed," he said.

He didn't have to tell Reno twice..but his lips siezed his husband's. "Jus in case tomorrow turns sour. ..I wanna have you."

Rude kissed back gently, but sleep was tugging at his senses. He really hoped he didn't fall asleep in the middle of the act.

Reno let out a soft gasp as his lips trailed down Rude's neck.

Rude squirmed a little, trying to get a little more contact with the redhead. He'd already removed his jacket and shoes at the door, but for once, his button up shirt was getting in the way.

Reno dispensed with the shirt quiickly. ..needing to feel Rude against him.

Rude sighed when he felt Reno's skin against his own. He wrapped his arms around his partner, holding him still, just feeling him there. He liked to feel Reno breathe, sometimes. Reminded him that he wasn't going to wake up from a dream world with sticky sheets and an unkempt whore for a partner.

I love you...an' I will admit tomorrow scares me senseless.

"I know," Rude said into Reno's hair. That feeling was back again. Something was definitly NOT right about the way things were happening.

"Wish I knew why."

"So do I," Rude mumbled, placing a kiss on the top of Reno's head. He couldn't quite put his finger on it... just what was feeling so... no right. "Hey," he said gently, placing a hand on Reno's chin. "Let's not worry about it, okay? We have all day tomorrow for that."

"Yeah.. .just want everyone back safe. ."

"I know." With that, Rude claimed Reno's lips gently, hoping to kiss away the redhead's fears... and his own uncertainties.

Reno leaned up into the kiss. .letting the sensation place him in this one golden moment where he had no fear. ..his tongue dancing with Rude's. ..eyes closing half-way.

"Roll over," Rude asked gently. He wanted to kiss every inch of Reno's body, wanted to feel his lover becoming more and more aroused as his ministrations increased. He wanted... something to remember... just in case.

Reno complied...he wanted to remember, too. .just in case something happened. ..he knew how strong the fuckers were.

Rude smiled as he lay himself gently over Reno. He kissed the man's lips again, softly, before moving to kiss across his nose, along his jawline, down his neck. He wanted to keep it slow and soft and... almost dreamlike.

Reno sighed, eyes closing to half-mast again with each touch, moaning very softly. .."Rude..I love you so much...I know we can't make promises. ..so I want you to know. .if this is the last time...I never regretted anything I did with you.. .."

Rude shushed him. He didn't want to hear anything that sounded like giving up. Nothing of the sort. They weren't going to lay down and die. They were going to fight, even until the end, whenever that end decided to happen. He trailed his lips softly over Reno's collarbone, moving down each shoulder and arm as he pressed those soft kisses.

Reno gasped and arched into his mouth. He had every intention of fighting, no doubt about that,he'd been a fighter his whole life and he wasn't about to stop now.. .but he also knew that odds were one or both of them would be either badly injured or killed by one of those bastards. .they were strong. ..damn near Sephiroth strong.

He made it a point to place a single kiss to each of the pads of Reno's fingertips. Those hands, those delicate hands that were far more suited to wrapping around an instrument than wrapping around a weapon. He moved on, though, wanting to make sure he covered all of Reno with his love. Rude kissed across his chest, making it a point to linger on the redhead's nipples.

That delicate flush began blossoming across his face as his eyes closed all the way. .his head tilting back a little. ..he was so waarm. ..feeling so cherished. ..

Rude slid himself further down Reno's body, his nose dotting the redhead's belly button and tickling him slightly as he kissed around it. He could feel his partner's arousal bumping into his chin as he moved lower, but that was the dessert for after the meal he'd started of Reno.  
M He giggled a bit at the tickly sensation of stubble over his belly button, the his hips lifted as Rude skirted his manhood, but he knew what the larger man was doing. ..taking it slowly. .making it memorable.  
m Rude finished kissing down Reno's legs, bypassing the feet because, honestly, he was NOT a feet man... and Reno's had been in shoes that were walked in all day. They were not the most pleasant to smell. "Flip," he requested, wanting to continue his ministrations along Reno's back.

Reno turned over again, doing his damndest not to grind himself into he bed.

He started his trek along Reno's skin at the back of his ankles, pausing on his way up to nibble at the ticklish spot behind each of Reno's knees.

Reno giggled again in response to the tickly feeling. ..he sighed and leaned his head back into Rude's for a moment. ..again his eyes closing all the way. ..he wanted this to last forever. . .he didn't want to see ttomorrow. ..he wanted tonight to last for the rest of his life.

Rude nipped lightly at Reno's ass, moving up his back to continue those feather-light kisses. He finally reached the back of Reno's neck, which was, honestly, one of his favourite spots to kiss on Reno. "Feeling thoroughly loved now?" he asked gently, letting Reno feel his smile on the back of his neck.

"Gods, yes.. .you. .you make me feel cherished. ..make me feel whole. ..make me feel. ..I can beat anything." It came out a hushed, worshipful whisper.

Rude resisted the urge to shake his head. He didn't think he deserved such worship. He was just a man, and a sometimes quiet, distant man at that. He held himself above Reno, giving the man enough room to move. "Roll back over."

He rolled again, looking up into those cocoa-colored eyes. ..eyes Rude showed only him willingly..Rude's eyes showed emotion in a much softer and quieter way, but Reno could read them well. ..and now. ..he saw only love and a few glints of teasing amusement in them. "I want this to last forever, yo. ..I don't ever want morning to come. .."

Rude shushed him with an "I know," before moving himself down Reno's body again. This time, he had his eyes on the prize, so to speak. He carefully, gently pressed a single, soft kiss to the tip of Reno's cock.

He hissed in response, not a pained hiss, but the one of someone so very aroused who doesn't want it to end.

Rude shushed him again, blowing cool breath over the redhead's warm skin.

He swallowed down another hiss, he was vocal during lovemaking, always had been.  
m He found his breath was coming faster as he heard Reno's noises. Pressing light, barely feelable kisses over the redhead's arousal, Rude snaked his hand up to idly trace random designs over his partner's testicles.

Reno arched up into the touches. ..moaning Rude's name. ..Gods, this was so wonderful. ..he felt so alive. ..

Rude made it a point not to let Reno slip between his lips. He kissed his way up and down, over the expanse of the redhead's arousal while his fingers slid a little further back, still tracing their random symbols.

Reno's breath started coming in shorter hitching gasps...his whole world filled with just that loving touch.

Rude whispered something under his breath in Costan before he parted his lips, carefully, gently taking Reno into his mouth.

Reno arched his back. .he dimly heard the words "Mi Corazon". ..the endearment warmed him from head to toe. "My heart. .."

Rude took as much of Reno in as he could, pausing a moment before relaxing his throat muscles and feeling him slide the rest of the way. He didn't pause against until his nose brushed against the fiery curls. See? He'd been practicing.

Reno gasped. ..his eyes squeezing shut as a murmered a hushed curse. ..his whole body was tight with pleasure, thrumming as if with electricity. ..

Rude had to pull back a bit, back to where he was normally comfortable. He'd never managed to do that with Reno, and it was a bit different from when he was practicing. He was still a little proud of himself. Even though he was no where near Reno in the cocksucking skills category, he was always willing to learn new things to please his partner.

"I need you. ..please. ..I need to feel you. .." He groaned the words out.

Rude couldn't help the groan that came from Reno's pleading. He slowly released the redhead from his mouth, reaching into the bag he'd set by the bed for his lube of choice that evening: a warming gel. They'd never tried it before, and the idea was kind of appealing to Rude.

Reno squirmed as he waited, his whole body was completely on fire. ..

Rude uncapped the bottle, pouring a little of its contents into his palm. He could feel the gel warming up in his hand, and he smiled gently at Reno, a silent request to spread his legs further and lift his knees.

He sprawled his legs out, giving him access. ..those his muscles were about jellified. ..he was a pool of pleasured goo. "Gods. ..so wonderful. "  
o.

Rude dipped his fingers into the pool of liquid in his palm, then gently ran them over the redhead's puckered entrance. Eyes watching Reno's face, he carefully pressed a single finger halfway in.

Reno cooed. ..a soft purring sound everything felt so wonderful. .."I love you. . "

He pressed a kiss to the inside of Reno's raised knee, answering with an "I love you, too," as he finished pressing his finger inside the redhead. He wiggled it just so, hoping to elicit a nice response from Reno.

Reno gasped, biting his bottom lip. ..

Rude slowly pulled his finger almost completely out of Reno, then, sliding a second finger next to the first, slowly pressed them back inside. Again, he did that little finger wiggle.

The gasp became a panting cry as that sweat sheen blossomed. ..his mouth working soundlessly after the cry.

While he teased Reno, Rude used what was left of the gel on his palm, which had gotten to be a rather nice temperature, to cover himself with lube. He couldn't help the moan that came from him as he ran his hand over himself, watching Reno as he finished preparing him.

Reno's face flushed pink, as it did when aroused. ..he was so very pleasently aroused, drunk on sensation.

Rude slowly, making sure to press a little harder on that spot inside Reno before he did so, pulled his fingers from the redhead. He situated himself between his partner's legs, holding just his head at Reno's entrance, as if he needed to ask permission.

"Please. ..Gods, please. .I need you. ." It came out a soft, gasping plea.

Rude exhaled, then slowly pushed himself inside. Now, Reno was warm to the touch usually, but with the added warmth of the gel, Rude felt like he was on fire.

Reno shuddered, gasping for breath. ..his whole mind awash in sensation now. "shit, fuck, yo. .." was all he could find to say

Rude's eyes were wide as he fully seated himself inside his lover. His mouth hung open, and all he could do was gasp at the heat, and the feeling, and the sensations that were running through him. He had the sense of self enough to make a mental note that warming gel was a GOOD thing.

Reno's whole body was on fire. ..everything felt so intense and so incredible. ..he thrust his hips up to take more of the big man in. ..another hitching gasp as he brushed that place inside,,the intensity kicking up another notch.

If Rude were a greater man, he would be able to hold out there all day, taking it slow and easy. However, he wasn't a greater man, he was a lesser one, and with a cry of passion he began thrusting forcefully in and out of Reno's body.

Reno' s head was thrown back. .his whole body beginning to shudder. ..he then lets out a loud scream as he arches back again. ..shaking, shudddering, reaching. ..finally able to grasp the peak he'd been seeking as he splashed between them. .sagging underneath him, not holding those muscles in that spasmodic twitch.

That did it. The spasm, the heat, the general FEELING behind all of it... and Rude was finished. There was no way he could hold himself back after that. No way. He collapsed atop Reno, twitching slightly as the aftershocks coursed through him.

Reno's eyes began to slide shut.. .he was admittedly coping better with the exhaustion than he had last week. ..but it was still there.

Rude managed to roll over onto his back next to Reno before he spoke. "Sorry," he said quietly. "Wanted it to be something to remember."

"It was, yo. ..believe me. ."

He smiled slightly, gesturing for Reno to cuddle up next to him.

Reno did so, and was soon giving that slight snore he had since being shot.

Rude wrapped a arm around him, kissing a stray red spike before drifting off as well.

Reno awoke to the alarm the next morning. ..who in the world set up an ungodly hour of 6 am for them to start clone chasing?

That would have been Rude. As much as he wanted to lay in bed with Reno forever, they had a job to do. A very important job, at that.

"Fuck me, yo. ..is that coffee I smell? You musta set the timer last night."

Rude smiled. He at least had the presense of mind for that... especially knowing how poorly Reno did with 7am. He figured 6am would be even worse, so he prepared for it. He untangled himself from the redhead, holding out a hand to help lead him to the bathroom for the morning shower.

He followed, cherishing every single bit of this morning...he knew it might possibly be there last, and that was a sobering thought.

Rude spent a particular amount of time in the shower that morning washing Reno's hair. He wasn't entirely sure why, but with his increasingly bad feeling and not knowing who it was directed at, he had to be sure he got as much time with Reno as he could. Just in case.

As the hot water finally ran out, and it was time to get dressed. .he gave Rude a flushed kiss.

"We'll be fine," Rude said, as he started brushing his teeth. But was he trying to convince himself or Reno?

Reno brushed his, using the mint mouthwash he preferred, then shrugged into his uniform, leaving the new and still somewhat tight uniform jacket unzipped.

Rude was, when he finished dressing, immaculate as always. He paused to brush a stray white fuzzy from his shoulder, but not the mysterious long red piece of hair. Rude? Superstitious? Never.

"Ugh, figures I'd get shot at, slashed at, and other various methods of torture and death in a brand new uniform.

"Gotta look sharp when you're kicking ass," Rude said, smiling slightly as he broke out the expensive sunglasses. Yes, if he was going out, he was going out in STYLE.

"New ones are always so fuckin' TIGHT.

"I'm sure you'll live," Rude said cheerfully.

"hope so. ..guess we're ready, yo."

Rude nodded once, then paused, just looking at Reno.

"I love you, yo. ..no matter whether we get through this day or not. ..I wanted ya ta hear it one more time."

Rude stepped to Reno, pulling him tightly against his body and fiercely kissing him until both of them had to pause just to breathe. He stepped back, then, offering a small smile and a nod, "Let's go... partner."

He nodded, and he gave Rude the keys with a soft smile. Soon they were in the parking garage near the monument.

Rude stood, taking in the scene before he made any indication as to where they should start. "What the fuck...?" he asked, nodding towards the ring of children. "Think we got a winner?"

"I'd say so, yeah." He took out his emr, tapping it on his shoulder.

Rude cracked his knuckles, following Reno towards the group of children.

"Well, what do we have here?" One could HEAR the swagger in his voice.

Rude stepped up behind him, looking as imposing as ever.

Yazoo paused what he was doing, eloquently flipping his hair out of his face before he spoke. "We know Mother is here."

Rude raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?" Boy, were they dumb.

"Yeah, this here monument. ..thingie, Shinra made it, right?"

Reno makes a mocking gesture, finger to head. "Oh, you're just so clever, aren't you?"

Oh, this was too rich. Too rich. Rude paused to watch their faces react to Reno's taunt before adding, "... Except, you're wrong."

"Wherever she is, we just don't know. " implied is 'even if we did we wouldn't tell you.'

Rude laughed with Reno, because, honestly, it really was funny. I mean, who the HELL would hide a head under a statue? Really.

Yazoo was not happy. It was time to put these idiots in their place. "What?" he tossed out casually. "The peons aren't trusted?"

Reno's face first shows an expression of sheer shock that he'd say that. ..that shock. . .becomes sheer fury and he dives at Yazoo

Rude runs forward, fully intent on fighting with his partner till the end.

Meanwhile Kadaj is prancing around Rufus. ..in a pace of controlled strength.

It was time. "Say, Kadaj," Rufus started. "I've got a question for you."

Kadaj smirked. "And I've got an answer."

"You said you needed Jenova cells in order to be whole again. What did you mean by that?" Rufus asked. He paused, and the look on Kadaj's face gave him his answer. "Him! He's coming back."

Kadaj nods, sagely.

"Sephiroth..." Rufus whispered, more to himself than Kadaj. "The nightmare."

The silver haired boy shrugs "So they say

"You mean...?" Could Kadaj not even know what he was doing? That would make it.  
M "I've never known Sephiroth. I just... I sense him there. It's unbearable to think that Mother might want Sephiroth more than... "

Rufus chuckled. So, Tseng's thoughts were true. The trio were nothing but leftovers, things forgotten, "Poor little Remnant..."

"doesn't matter who she picks, we'll all meet the same end! Mother came to this planet after a long journey, to rid the cosmos of fools like you! You know as well as I do, nothing's changed since she got here. I have to change it, to make her happy. If Mother willed it, I would do anything. "

"The nightmare returns," Rufus said plainly. It all was becoming as clear as a pool of pure water.  
Mi Kadaj sneers, his expression saying what e thought of humanity." As long as you exist, the nightmares will come again and again"  
m It was time for an explaination of his own. And explaination of the power of the human spirit. "The Lifestream corses through our planet, back and forth across the borders of life and death. If that cycle is the very truth of life, then history, too, will inevitably repeat itself. So, go on. Bring your Jevona's and your Sephiroth's... It won't matter. We'll do as life dictates and stop you every single time."

Kadaj gave that sick smile "Please, Sir. Is that your excuse for going after Mother yourself? You don't seem all that sorry."

Rufus chuckled to himself. "Sorry?" he asked, smiling, knowing that, in the end, HE was going to be getting the last laugh. "Why, I've never had this much fun."

Kadaj raises his arm, the summon inside it beginning to glow. ."Good, then let''s put an end to this, shall we?"

Reno suddenly looks up. ..the beast materalizing above his head. . .he about chokes on his own spit. ..he is thinking to himself. 'Rude said something would go wrong. ..' He runs forward. ..his emr waving around a few moments, he whacks Rude in the head with it, he gives him a somewhat sheepish looko then looks up again. .."He-he-hello. .."

Rude was going to give Reno a piece of his mind, really. He knew the redhead could be rather clumsy, but to blatantly smack him in the head? He was so going to have a goose egg there in the morning.

Rude's thoughts as he stood back up, however, would have to wait. There was currently a large summoned dragon staring them right in the face, and even the man who took down a behemoth in two shots couldn't possibly HOPE to THINK about taking down the dragon with a whole armoury full of ammo. "Oh no..." he said, turning tail to run.

Reno runs as well, NARROWLY missing hitting Rude again. ..he decides to snag one of the kids on the way, he'd actually been looking to see if Em was among them, but he ended up with this blond kid. ..who showed his gratitude by shoving his fingers up Reno's nose. . .Reno cursed VERY quietly under his breath, shook the kid's fingers free, then started running. "Is it after us?"

Rude had grabbed a pair of rugrats as he ran. He tucked one under each arm, thinking briefly back to the two years in school he'd played football. He could almost hear the dragon closing in on them. "I'm not lookin'," he replied, knowing that in the time it took for him to glance back, he could be another few steps closer to NOT being dragon flambe.

Suddenly the monument goes up in flinders and flame behind them, knocking Reno off his feet. ..and causing him to faceplant after that 30 foot flight, he was almost sure he'd broken his nose again, it ached like a bitch. ..he was also momentarily stunned.

Rude groaned, grunting as he hit the concrete on his back. He had somehow managed to twist in the air, making sure that the children he held landed on his chest and he took the brunt of the fall. It knocked the wind right out of him.

Yazoo sauntered towards the two. They were so pathetic. To think ShinRa somehow became the most powerful company in the world with the help of these two bumbling fools. He cocked his hip out to the side, teasing as he stood over them. "Are we having fun yet, huh?"

"Reno leaped up, no way in HELL was he intendeding to be on his belly with that perv hanging over him. "Time of my LIFE!"

He then attacks Yazoo, fists, feet, magrod. ..but the guy was INSANELY quick. .."When are you gonna just call it a day?"

"What?" Yazoo asked, somehow managing that come hither look in the middle of a death match. "Just as soon as you give back Mother. That'll be the end of everything."

Reno shakes his head as if thinking Yazoo is not only a sicko freak, but a nutcase as well. "Get a grip! Forget your fucking reunion, yo!"

He scales the building to get to him just as Rude goes flying by. ..the big bastard had thrown him,.

Oh, that little man would never learn! "All we want is to be with Mother!" Yazoo yelled, kicking the redhead.

Reno sailed back. . .just as the sign began cracking loose, he had no time to tell Rude to duck, though.

Rude managed to stand, only to have a sign land on him. He KNEW something was wrong about that day. "... Damn sign..." he managed before he had a body full of Reno land on him, too.

Just before RENO landed on him. .any other time he might APPRECIATE the position. .as his slight hard on told, but NOT NOW. ..while having the crap beaten out of him was NOT the time.

Then as he got up he heard a crunch under his feet. ..shit..it was Rude's 135 gil pair of oakleys. ..he was gioing to die when this was over, if not at the hands of the Remnants. ..then because his husband was going to commit Mateacide. "It's Jenova's fuckin' head yo!"

Rude couldn't say a word. His mouth, stuck in that 'o' position, wouldn't move. Oh no, Reno was not going to die at the hands of the remnants. No. Rude was PERSONALLY going to see that his husband paid for a new pair of sunglasses... especially since he was fairly certain that style wasn't in production anymore.

Loz gets an intently angry look "Hey!"

Yazoo looked positively indignant. "I will NOT have you refer to Mother that way."

"Yeah, you meanine!" Loz has his fist clenched as he says this.

Rude pulled his spare pair of el cheapo sunglasses from his pocket. They still looked sharp, but they were knockoffs from his FORMER favourite pair. Reno was SO going to hear it later. "Our apologies," he offered. See? Momma raised him right.

Reno got up and tried in vain to get the dust off his brand new uniform. "Yeah, you're mom's cool." Then he suddenly realizes wheat he'd been saying about JENOVA of all creatures. ."What the HELL am I sayin'?" before he rushes the two again, giving Rude a thumbs up that indicates it's time to lure them toward the bridge and shake them long enough to set the explosives.

But he stops for a moment. .distracted momentarily by the sight of Cloud flying like some crazed moneky toward the summon. ..then the summon going kablooey.

Hmph. Would you look at that, Rude thought.

"This is just too fun, Sir! Any requests for my next. . .act. .." and Kadaj trailed off a moment something is off here.

And now we show our hand. The time for bluffing has ended. Rufus pulled off his sheet, standing up from his wheelchair with a little box in his hand. The smile on his face would have clued Kadaj in, had the remnant not had a connection to Jenova herself.

"Mother!" it came out a combinatoion of an angry roar and a shocked squeak.

Rufus smiled. "A good son would have known." With that, he tossed the box off the edge of the building. Go on, boy... fetch.  
Mi Kadaj didn't fetch. ..oh no, not at first. ..instead he lets out a furious shriek and fires off a bolt spell that hits Rufus glancingingly in the head, pitching the bandages off, his stigma infection showing briefly before it knocks his unstable balance completely off and sends him sailing over the side.

He then follows Rufus off the side, reaching. ..reaching. ..

Rufus, as he felt himself going over, was already pulling his shotgun from his jacket. He tried to aim as best he could, firing only when he felt the shot would connect.

Shit, shit, SHIT! it was Reno's only thought as he saw his boss, ex-lover, and friend go over the side. "Oh no, SIR!"

The words, "Sir! No!" were started from Rude's lips as he tried desperately to think of a way to break Rufus' fall. Even though the man survived a damn building collapsing on him, there was no way he could survive a fall from that height. Especially in his condition.

Suddenly a net shot out. ..Tseng giving the two a grin as if to say "Did you realy think I was going to let him fall?"

Elena paused a brief moment after securing the net to the building to wave at the two stunned Turks.

Rude's eyes were wide, but within a moment he was attempting to scale the side of the building... and not having much success.

Reno on the other hand was up like a shot.. .knocking Rude the rest of the way down accidentally in the process. ..soon he had Rufus and was slowly lowering him down to the President's Wutain lover. "I got you sir. ..you'll be down in a moment."

At least that time Reno hadn't broken Rude's sunglasses. And don't think he was getting away with the earlier stepping on the expensive ones, either. Rude was particular about such things.

"Thank you... Reno..." Rufus said, his breath coming in gasps. He had a hard time catching and keeping his breath.

"Not a problem. .'smy job after all." He hands him off to Tseng, who surrepticiously presses a tiny kiss to the man's forehead, brushing blond strands out of his eyes before returning him to his chair in a place where it would be safe to watch the rest of the battle.

Meanwhile he nods to Rude, gesturing him to car Tseng had left so that they could set the bombs on the bridge.

Rufus smiled at Tseng's kiss, then cringed slightly as the illness racked his body with pain. It was getting worse. They were running out of time.

Rude nodded back, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Ah yes, the bombs. HIS bombs.

Reno climbed into the passenger seat, giving one last worried glance as Tseng bent in front of Rufus, laying his head in his lap for a moment, his eyes closing. .the redhaired Turk could clearly see Tseng was troubled, but he put it out of his mind, just hoping to all that was divine that Rufus would live to see the fruits of their labors.

Rude drove faster than he normally would to the helipad. They couldn't beat the bikes' speed on the road, but they could beat them in the air. They only stopped once to pick up the explosives from where Rude had hidden them.

Reno landed a the end of the bridge. ..hiding his troubled mind over his boss with his humor as usual, holding up one of the bombs as he heard the fighting in the tunnels they were now facing. "Hey, partner. ..this thing got any bite to it?"

Rude looked over, holding a bomb of his own. "ShinRa technology at its finest." Proud? Rude? Never.

Reno grinned wider, "You made this?"

Like Reno couldn't see his partner's handiwork stamped ALL OVER the explosive device. "If nothing else..." Rude said, tossing his words out almost casually. "It's flashy." Which was Rude-speak for 'big boom'.

Reno smirks, thinking of the big boom that would happen in bed after all of this was over. "Oh, good. .." It came out a breathy drawl.

"You love it," Rude said, knowing just how much explosive talk got both him and Reno going. "I know it."

That smirk grew even wider "Looks like today we're clockin' out early. .." Then he sets up the bombs, stepping out of range of the explosion as Cloud rides by them, sparing a slight glare for the redhead. ..then the bomb goes off with pretty little fireworks. ..unfortunatly Kadaj had come out the OTHER tunnel, drawing a soft curse from Reno's lips but he figured Cloud would probably get the youngest remnant.

After that he boarded the chopper again, gesturing Rude in, once they were both in they took off back to where the boss was so they could watch the rest of the battle without getting drawn into it and possibly getting one of them killed. ..they'd survived thus far, and he'd like to KEEP it that way.

See? When Rude says flashy, he means FLASHY.

Reno landed the chopper, climbing out and striding over to Tseng, who had his eyes closed, fighting back pre emptive grief so he could appear strong for his subordinates. Rufus had stopped talking s few moments after they had reached their hiding spot, the only sign of life his ragged breathing.

Rude was taken aback, though his face didn't show it. He couldn't believe the President's condition could worsen so quickly, especially since they were so close to victory.

Rude's thoughts paused as he stood around Rufus with his fellow Turks. What was that smell? It didn't smell like the dusty, oily, machinery smell Edge usually had. It smelled... clean. Like rain.

Reno looked up, to see the sky darkening. ..there was their answer. .. he gaped. .."Shit. ..shit, shit. ..look up, Rude. .." He pointed to where the Devil Incarnate himself hovered. ..Then Cloud attacking. ..the two fighting. ..

Rude looked and gasped appropriately, but his attention was drawn back to that smell. It smelled like... kind of like a field of flowers, like that field of wildflowers outside of Costa del Sol where his parents used to take him and his brothers. It smelled... just like that, right before a soft spring rain would fall. He carefully elbowed Reno's arm. "You smell that?" he asked quietly.

Reno nods. .he felt a soft droplet on his face. .rain.. .it started raining just as Cloud finished the bastard off and the sky cleared from that ugly inky blackness to normal rain clouds. ..then a whispered "Rude. ..look. .." as he points to Rufus' hand. ..where the lesions were sparkling green. ..then liffting away. ..he actually had moisture touch his eyes as a slightly loopy grin came to his mouth. ..

"It's her. ..gotta be. ..she saved our asses again, yo."

Rude nodded, "We owe her." The rain felt cool and refreshing, as if it could lift away all the pain and troubles of the past. He could swear he even felt it under his suit as he felt the exhaustion and worry melt away with each additional drop.

Watching carefully as the stigma left him, Rufus paused a moment to look at Tseng, questions in his eyes. "Tseng?"

Tseng nodded. ..a smile on his face. ..tears flowing down it, not that one could see it for the rain. .."You're. ..healed sir. " It was all he could think of. ..well, that and the thousand days and ways of lovemaking there was to make up for between the building falling onto him and then his illness.

Then suddenly a little redhaired girl ran up to them throwing her arms around Reno's legs. "Unca Reno, Unca Rude! Thank Shiva you're both ok!"

"It's a miracle," Elena breathed, not realizing that the moisture on her face wasn't just from the rain. She spun on her heel as she heard the little girl's voice, a smile breaking across her face. "Emily!"

"I saw the bad men beating up on 'em. .but I couldn' do anything, couldn't move, could only watch. .then the rain came an 'soon's it did I came runnin' ta find all of you."

"Oh, sweetie," Elena said, brushing the girl's stray hairs from her face before she pulled her into a tight hug.

Emily put her arms around Elena's neck tight. "I was so scared somethin' bad was gonna happen to everyone. ..Uncle Rufus, you ok now?" The unerring intuition of a child. .and their innocent belief in miracles.

Rufus smiled, nodding his head. "Yes, thank you, Emily." He noted that Tseng had not stopped touching him since the miracle had happened.

"You know what I think we should do once we have this little one settled back in with Elena, sir?" Tseng smiled softly as he whispered "Aside from us screwing each other straight through the mattress"

Rufus' eyes widened, then his smile did as well. "No, Tseng... what did you have in mind?"

Now, Rude had rather good hearing, and what he thought he heard made his jaw drop. Who was that imposter and where was the real Tseng?

"I think. .we should follow our Turk's example. .sir."

Rufus frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to figure out what Tseng was hinting at. He looked to Elena, figuring it wasn't her. He looked to Reno and Rude. What had they done recently, other than blow up a bridge that was going to cost an INSANE amount of gil to fix...? Suddenly, he got it, and his smile turned a little more mischevious. "Tseng... are you trying to propose to me?"

Tseng nodded, "Yes, sir."

Rufus pulled Tseng down for a small kiss. When he let Tseng stand back up, he asked, "Do you have your answer?"

"I believe that is a yes." The Wutain smiled widely, something very unusual. "Let your father roll in his grave, I care not."

Tseng," Rufus said, trying to drop into his most authorative tone while laughing and failing miserably. "Let's not speak of my father; it's ruining the mood."

"Well, where would you like to do this, sir? Costa, Mideel, Heaven forbid we do it in Wutai, we'd be stoned." He is now laughing too

Rude could not believe this was happening in front of him. Tseng... and Rufus... being... couple-like? Rude shook his head as if to clean fog from it. Nope. They were still there. Still being... publically affectionate.

"I'm not sure," Rufus said, then turned to Reno and Rude. "I hear Costa del Sol is lovely this time of year, but what would you gentlemen suggest?"

"Mideel's nice, too. .but if we go to Costa Rude can introduce me to what family he has there."

Rude's eyes widened. He couldn't tell Reno no, but he also didn't really want to bring him home to momma, so to speak.

Reno seemingly blipped right over Rude's expression... he was making plans in his head.

"Costa del Sol sounds lovely," Rufus said. He, too, was interested in meeting the parents of the usually stoic bald man. "Tseng? What do you think?"

Rude was internally shaking his head 'no' like a two year old. Especially, ESPECIALLY if his younger brother was home. That brat would no doubt make his life hell. The elder brother, not so terrible, but between his father and his younger brother...

"I think it sounds wonderful sir. .as long as you don't want to come home to meet MINE all is well."

"Not your parents," Rufus said, but there was a note in his voice that made him not have to add the part about wanting to at least meet his son once. Even if Tseng didn't have any further contact with the boy after that, Rufus just wanted to make sure Tseng saw him once.

Tseng nodded. ..he did want to see his son...even if the boy hated him.

"Now then," Rufus said, clapping his hands once, then taking a moment to stand. He paused in his own sentence, though, silently thankful that he was once again able to stand on his own. It truly was a miracle. "I believe we owe some thanks to our saviour before we begin making preparations for the upcoming nuptials."

Reno idly thought "Which one" but he knew where they had to go. ..he just hoped CLOUD wasn't there now, he was a lot less achy and tired, but he still was NOT in the mood for another fight. "This way, sir." He leaves the chopper behind, feeliong like walking. ..wending his way back in midgar and into sector five.

With each step he took, Rufus was silently grateful for his second chance at life. He grasped Tseng's hand, smiling occassionally at the older man.

Rude was still fretting over Reno meeting his family. He could already imagine the arguements between Reno and his younger brother. Rude's brother was well known in the family for being able to push people's buttons the instant he met them.

The only thing Reno was silently afraid of was that there was a homophobe or two among them, he was NOT in the mood to have to bash a member of his extended family in the head for being stupid.

"Reno," Rude said, slowing down his steps a little so they could walk behind Tseng, Rufus and Elena without being overheard too much. "I don't think meeting ALL of my family's a good idea." His mother? Yes. His father? Maybe. His elder brother? Possibly. His younger brother? No way in hell.

"Listen partner. ..worst thing I'm afraid of is someone saying 'Oh, why don't you go find yourself a nice girl?' to you in FRONT of me. .. then me havin' to correct 'em. . ."

Unspoken was "correct them with my emr in the back of their head."

"That would be Eric," Rude muttered. His younger brother WOULD say something like that just to see what Reno, and moreso Rude, would do. "But, if my mother asks who the 'nice girl' is I brought home... don't take it the wrong way." His mother wasn't exactly on the up and up on boys who could pass for girls. Rude's usual taste for women probably didn't help either.

"Oh you mean don't do what I did to your ex-girlfriend in proving I am NOT a woman?" He had flashed Loreen, one of his exes from the typing pool, because she spread rumors about "Rudolph's pretty new girlfriend"

m"Reno! You're talking about my mother!" Rude said, his face turning pink at the mental picture of Reno flashing his mother. His face turned pinker when he imagined her most likely response: to grab at the redheads groin to make sure everything there was real. His mother could be rather embarassing when she wanted to be. She fought snark with snark, and had several more years experience than most of those around her.  
M Reno snorts with laughter, causing Tseng to turn around to see what had happened/.

Rufus turned around as well, a smile on his face. "Would you care to share what's so funny, gentlemen?"

"I think I kinda shocked Rude sir. .."

"I can see that," Rufus said, a chuckle slipping past his lips. "Would you like to elaborate, Rude?"

Rude's eyes widened. "He... I would rather not, sir."

"I reminded him of what happened the last time an acquantance of his thought I was a chick, sir."

"But Reno! We're talking about Momma here! She'd just grab on to make sure it was real!" There it was. Rude slipped. Both with what he'd called his mother since forever, and what he knew his mother would do.

Rufus just smiled as they rounded the corner to where Cloud was said to have been staying. "Then I can't wait to meet her, Rude."

They opened the door to find only Marlene left by the pool. .she and Em had become fast friends. "Marlene!" she ran over and hugged the older girl.

"Emily!" Marlene cheered, returning her friend's hug. "What are you doing here? You're cured."

"Unca Reno wanted ta come back and thank someone.. .as did Unca Rufus"  
m "Who?" Marlene asked, her face showing her confusion. "Because, she's not here anymore."

"Oh. ...we missed Aewis. .." she looks just a bit crestfallen.

Rufus knelt down in front of Marlene. "Is Cloud still here? I'm sure he'd pass the message along."

"He and Tifa took Denzel upstairs to make sure the Geostigma was gone."

MCloud strode down the stairs, immediatly shooting Reno a glare. ..then Rufus. "What are you doing here?"

Rufus held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "We didn't come here for a fight... or to recruit you, Cloud."

Rude took up his position behind and to the side of the President. He was, after all , still technically on guard duty.

Cloud snorts "What are you here for, then. Never thought you to be the religious sort."

Rufus chuckled. "Now, Cloud. There's no reason to be so hostile." He paused. "We only came by to thank you for your assistance before we left for a vacation of sorts."

Cloud. ..looked almost shocked. "I'm not the one you should be thanking. "Gestures to Rufus' forehead and hand."

"Partially, yes. It WAS you who stopped Kadaj and his brothers from resurrecting Sephiroth," Rufus paused, knowing Cloud really couldn't argue with that. "As for my illness... I was hoping you would be kind enough to pass along my gratitude to her."

"Of course I will sir."

Tseng's eyes told of just how much HE had to thank the girl he had once had a crush on for.

"Thank you," Rufus said again, bowing deeply. He turned to take his leave, tossing behind him, "If we are ever in need of a delivery service... we'll call."

Cloud harrumphed, but he was actually SMILING. . .maybe Shinra the Younger wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"Gentlemen," Rufus said to his Turks before he walked out the door.

Rude nodded to Cloud, noticing that Tifa had poked her head out what must have been Denzel's room to smile at nod at them.

Reno tossed a wink back at Tifa, then a nod back at Cloud, and another wink as if to say "You know what ta do."

Elena waved to Tifa, nodded curtly to Cloud, then followed the men. She had to make sure to stop and grab Emily before they left for Costa del Sol.

Reno smiled. ..with this madness over maybe. ..MAYBE they could settle into some sort of routine conducive to family life. ..he shrugs slightly at the thought.

"I would like to head to Costa del Sol as soon as possible, gentlemen," Rufus turned and smiled at Elena. "And lady. I would prefer this step in my life to be completed before we begin the rebuilding of ShinRa Company."

Rude nodded. "When would you like to leave, sir?"

Rufus arched an eyebrow. "Tseng? Your opinion?"

"Today. ..as soon as we can get airship or boat passage, sir."

Rude nodded. That meant he could possibly sneak away long enough to call his mother and make sure she sent Eric away for at least the duration of their stay. If it were up to him, his younger brother wouldn't be mooching off his parents at all.

Tseng immediatly began making phone calls when Cid, who'd not yet returned to the Sierra yet, strode out of the church shook his head. "What are you two callin' for transport for when ya got a perfectly good airship right here. .You said yer goin' ta Costa, right?"

Shit, Rude thought. So much for making his brother leave.

"Yes, we are," Rufus answered. "But I'm not going to ask you to take us there for nothing. ShinRa owes you much as well for the transgressions of my father."

Cid shook his head. "You've been doin' your best ta try ta make up for it. ..and I got ta go into space, that's payment enough."

Rufus nodded, an honest smile on his face. "Thank you, Cid. We would greatly appreciate your taking us to Costa del Sol."

"Well, climb on, then."

"Wait," Rude said. "Our bags?"

"Go, quickly," Rufus answered. "We can't make him wait for us all day. I'm sure Cid has plenty of other things to do that don't include chauffeuring us."

Tseng chuckles "Besides, We can purchase any neccessary items when we reach the resort."

Rude nodded, grabbing Reno's arm and dashing towards the house they'd been staying in. Luckily, it wasn't that far away. They returned only a few minutes later with a pair of bags each.

Reno made sure he had one other thing. ..his swimsuit. ..the one Rude wished he'd LOST during meteor.

Rude finished putting everything into the airship's storage area, then joined the rest of them on the deck. There still had to be a way he could stop Reno from meeting his brother, there HAD to be.

The flight to Costa was only a couple of hours. and Tseng drug Rufus off in order to find the temple for them to wed in. ..which left Reno to ask Rude where his family lived.

"I moved them back here when Dad retired," Rude explained, walking through the streets he used to walk as a child. "I managed to buy the house we grew up in, too." His body moved fluidly, not having to look at all where he was walking, his body knowing the way by memory alone.

"Place is beautiful. ..hell, we got barely more than a peak when we came through here last time. "  
m Rude smiled. He had to admit... it was good to be home. As much as he liked Midgar, and now Edge with all its urban amenities... there was something to be said about coming home to the countyside. Where Midgar was fast paced, Costa del Sol was laid back. "This way," he said, pointing and turning towards a little cul de sac with three medium-sized houses along it.

Reno followed him, but his step showed how nervous he was. ..would Rude's family like the little slum rat? Would that accept that their little "darling" was married to a guy in this place where it was not so acceptable as back in Midgar and Edge?

Rude walked up to the door of the leftmost house. He absently noted that his father had redone the siding... again. this time, instead of the 'straw hut' look, he seemed to be going for the 'cabin in the woods' look. Did the man forget where they lived? It was at least a day's walk to the nearest slightly forested area. He adjusted his tie, his fidgiting showing that he was a little nervous as well, but for different reason. Partially his brother, partially the fact that it had been quite some time since he last came by for a visit.

The door opened to reveal a still youthful looking face browned by the sun, the woman had dark hair and her son's choclate brown eyes. "Well, Rudolph, it's about time you paid us a visit."

"Hi Momma," Rude said, smiling as he stepped forward to wrap his arms around his mother. "How have you been?"

Gladys clucked "Not bad. ..oh, and who is this. ..aren't YOU just the pretty one. Certainly pretty than that Tracy girl he was with when he last vistied " Speaking of course of Multiple PIercing Girl.

"Momma, this is Reno," Rude started with the introduction, hoping his mother wouldn't cut him off during it... but knowing it was going to happen anyway. "Reno, this is my mother, Gladys."

"Nice ta meetcha" His slum accemt immediatly apparant.

Gladys immediatly noted not only the name, but the accent. .."Rudolph. ..since when were you interested in...well. .." she has no idea how to put delicately

"Momma!" Rude said, instantly pinking in embarassment. THIS was part of the reason he didn't want Reno to meet his parents until he had a chance to sit them down and go over the 'do's and don't's of Reno'. "Reno's my partner." He hoped he put enough accent on 'partner' for his mother to understand.

"Oh, right. .." But she smiled, her knowing eyes catching. ..cues normal people wouldn't.

"Are Dad, Eric and Sam here?" he asked. If Rude knew them, his father would be out back tinkering with something, his younger brother Eric would be in the living room sitting in front of the television, and his elder brother Samuel would be at work. However, it HAD been at least three years since he'd last stopped by, a year since he last called.

"Eric's in the living room playing that driving game you sent home for Sam. .your father's gone for supplies, he'll be back soon Sam will be back tomorrow, he had to work a double."

Great. Eric was in the house. this could not be good. Rude nodded to his mother as she stepped aside to let them in. "Anything new?" Rude asked, taking off his shoes at the door and walking towards the kitchen. He could already smell some of his mother's cooking on the stove.

Reno strode into the living room, of course quite curious about the "Hellion" Rude had mentioned. ..

Gladys had of course noted the matching claddagh bands on the twos' fingers

Not much, but I see you have something new. ..why didn't you invite me, son ? I'm more open minded than your father, you know.

"I'm sorry. It was kind of a hurried thing, Momma," Rude explained, lifting the lid off one of the pots on the stove. "You know how work gets... we were having the week from hell and it just seemed... the right thing to do it as quickly as possible. Ya know, so nothing could interrupt."

"Hey, babe," Eric tossed at the mysterious redhead from where he was sprawled on the couch. Appearantly she'd come with Rude, which meant he had full rights on her later when Dad would pull the middle child aside for their 'bonding' things they did in the garage. He could care less what they did out there. "Get me a beer."

"Number one, I am not your 'babe. ..number two, m'name's Reno, not babe. ..don't forget it. ..numer three, if I'm anyone's 'babe' it's your brother's."

He held up his left hand with the heavy ring on it. "An I got the ring ta prove it."

"Geez, don't have to be a bitch about it," Eric tossed, still not looking away from the game. It took him a moment for the entirety of Reno's words to filter through. "Ring? Shee-it. No way that loser brother of mine could bag a chick like you. He doesn't got the balls." He still wasn't doing more than offering corner-of-the-eye glances at the redhead. 


	20. Chapter 20

Reno gives Eric one of those cocky smirks. ..then undoes his pants. "Do I look like a chick to you, idiot? I mean seriously. The only one allowed to call me a woman is Rude, and I barely take it from him, so just back off!"

Eric did a double take, managing to kill his character in the video game in the process. "What the fuck...?" was followed shortly by a "Jesus fucking Christ on a fucking cracker!" He jumped off the couch, moving backwards as he did and managing to trip over the back of the couch. When his head his the hardwood floor of the living room, he saw stars... and penises.

Reno buttoned himself back up. "Get the point? so why don't yyou go find someone else to hit on, dickwad?"

"Who are you calling dickwad, cockmonger?" Eric retorted, standing up and stepping up to Reno. He stood with his chest puffed out, something he didn't need to do as all of Rude's brothers had very similar to his height and build.

"The guy who called me a woman! I'm a married man, and your brother in law, and it's time to not judge a book by its cover.

Eric did what all slighted little siblings would do in his situation... were they five. "MOM!" He yelled loudly.

Gladys strode in, shaking her head. "Let me guess. ..you discovered our guest is not only off the menu, but the wrong gender. .sorry,  
mi "But Mo-om," Eric whined. He was a professional whiner.

Rude took that moment to wander in, a wooden spoon with some of his mother's cooking on it in hand. Him? Stealing from the pot? Never. "Problems?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"Just proved I wasn't a chick is all, and now your younger sib is whining."

Gladys gasps "You didn't. . ."

"Reno..." Dammit. The redhead flashed him. Rude knew it. "I can't take you anywhere..." he muttered.

Eric 'hrmph'ed, then went back to his video game. He'd find one way or another to get back at Rude's boyfriend. "Why are you back?" he asked petulantly. "Just here to show off him?" he paused. "Always knew you were a queer."

Rude moved quickly, dropping the wooden spoon and picking his younger brother up by his shirt. "What did you say?" he growled.

Gladys groaned "Boys. ..Eric, you'd best take that back."

Reno in the meanwhile had his magrod out and looked fit to damn well KILL. "What'd you call him? If you don't take that back you're going to find out how strong I am."

Rude paused, seeing the look on his mother's face while she eyed her antique... junk. Rude had no other word for what his mother collected than junk. "Yes, Momma," he said quietly, dropping Eric onto the floor.

"OW!" Eric yelped. If Rude gave him a bruised tail bone...

"You're not worth it," he mumbled, reaching out and placing an arm around Reno. He started to lead the redhead back to the kitchen. Better to separate those two than let them go at it in his mother's favourite junk storing spot.

Reno was shaking with fury as Rude led him away. "Bastard better hope I never catch him alone, I will go Turk on his ass. ..who the FUCK does he think he is calling you queer?"

"My little brother," Rude mumbled. He knew that, if it came down to it, he would have to stand up for Eric if Reno came at him. He loved the redhead, really he did, but Eric was his brother... a little slimeball of a brother, but still... Rude sighed. It was going to be a long stay in Costa del Sol.

"Don't give him call for that. .and if he comes at me, I will beat his ass."

"Don't worry about it," Rude said, filching a freshly baked muffin from the countertop. He mother was the BEST cook. ""He's all bark." And it was true, too. In the course of Rude's 23 years with his younger brother, he was five when Eric was born, his sibling had never once stepped up and fought his own battles.

"He hits on me again, same thing. ..I'm yours,"

Rude grunted, taking the first bite of that muffin. Wow, he must've been gone longer than he thought. Usually his knuckles would've been intimately acquainted with his mother's favourite wooden spoon by now for 'spoiling his dinner.' Either that, or she finally let him grow up... Rude wasn't sure. Either way, he lifted the top off one of the pots on the stove, the one he hadn't already investigated. Mmm... smelled like stew...

Door opened to admit a dark haired boy also built much like his brother and a shorter, suqatter, barrel chested man. "Mom, we're home."

Rude grunted and nodded a greeting to his elder brother and father. His father, in typical fashion, grunted and nodded in return, setting down a handful of bags full of groceries. Nope, Rude didn't get a lot of his mannerisms from his father. Not at all.

"I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow, sweetheart."

"they let me home early. ..hey, Rudy, wow. ..you got yourself a looker this time."

"He's not a looker, Samuel," Bernard replied, taking a single look at Reno and knowing he was, in fact, a he. "And take off those damn sunglasses, Rudolph. You're not outside."

Rude did as he was told, all those years of his father's tone of voice indicating that there would be no questioning who ran the roost. "Sam, Dad," he said, "This is Reno."

Reno nodded, flashing the ring he wore on his left hand as he waved a greeting.

"Get yourself married, did ya?" Bernard asked, not looking at either of the two Turks while he helped Gladys put the groceries away. There was a slight, very slight, hint of displeasure in his voice.

"Yes," Rude said, hoping his father and elder brother wouldn't make the same mistake Eric had. "I did."

Reno kept quiet, but he had the urge to say "You got a problem with me 'cause I'm a guy or 'cause I'm a slum rat, or both" but he didn't, even though he knew it would show on his expression.

"I think it's a good thing, Dad. It's obvious they really care about each other, and isn't that what matters?"

"I guess," Bernard muttered, pulling out a hammer and a few screwdrivers. "I'll be in the garage if anyone needs me." And, with that, he left to go mull things over by himself.

Sam spotted the look on Reno's face and shook his head. "Dád can be a bit of a blowhard, but he really doesn't mean anything by it. He's not used to living in this new fangled world where gender doesn't much matter when it comes to love yet."

"He's just upset because YOU won't get married and give him grandchildren," Rude said with a smile. For as far apart as Rude and Eric were, the bald man was just as close to his elder brother. Maybe it was because there was only two years between them, as opposed to the five with Eric.

"Eh, I've just found no one worthwhile yet, 'sall. .most women wouldn't put up with a SOLDIER anymore than they will a Turk...Yeah, I finally got in after all the time of trying. .. I had to run a diplomat to Junon today." He snorts, he's built big like his younger brother, even more so, his hair cut military short, those dark eyes gleaming bright with mako injections that all candidates got. Though he'd been stationed at the base in Junon, not in midgar, so he could be a two hour boat ride away and help take care of mom and dad and keep Eric in line because the boy was always getting in trouble.

"Congrats," Rude said with that smile. He put out his hand for his brother to shake.  
M Sam shook, chuckling "It's not the same under your boss. .is it true you know the president personally?"

Rude nodded, pulling his elder sibling in for an uncharacteristic hug. Maybe all those years with Reno were starting to rub off on him? Nah. "Yeah, I know Rufus ShinRa." He wasn't sure how proper it would be to announce the upcoming nuptuals of said president to the leader of the Turks.

"Wow.. .that's cool! I hear he's shed the reputation he first had when he took over. ..no more 'man you never see bleed or cry' and that he's a decent guy now. I saw that stunt he pulled taking the flying leap off the office building, I would have pissed my pants doing that."

Rude laughed heartily. "The President was always a 'decent guy'. It was his father who was the problem."

Eric chose that moment to enter the kitchen, opening the fridge with a mumble about how no one heard him yelling for a goddamn beer.

Reno bristled as Eric's elbow brushed against his lower belly. ..he looked like he was about to explode, as he wasn't sure if the kid had done it on purpose or not.

The youngest brother got a beer from the fridge, opened it, and took a drink. Without offering anything to anyone else, he glared mildly at Sam and Rude, and glared not so mildly at Reno. Oh no, he did nothing without a purpose... especially when that purpose was to instigate. With his point made, in his mind, he turned and went back into the living room.

"Next time he touches me, he's dead, yo, your kid brother or not."

"Eric?" Gladys came in to remove the last of the food-laden serving bowls to take them into the dining room. "You do realize when you insitigate a fight with a Turk you play with fire, right?"

"That," Eric gestured up and down Reno with his beer. "is not a Turk."

Rude's hand went to Reno's shoulder, tightening as if to say, 'not here. Momma will kill you.'

Reno growled. ..storming outside, shooting Eric a look that said he'd show him how much of a Turk he was if he followed.

Eric, as was typical of him, when push came to shove, he ran away. He spat at the ground where Reno had stood, then went back to his game.

"Reno," Rude said, eyes apologizing to his family for the disruption in normality of him bringing Reno there. "I'll get him, Momma. When's dinner?"

"Ten minutes. ..really, your brother needs to know when to stop pushing. ..one day he's going to insult the wrong person and end up dead. Not that it's any use telling him, of course."

"I know, Momma, I know," Rude said with a sigh. He felt slightly responsible for the way Eric had turned out. At the time when the youngest boy was most impressionable, Rude was too busy running the streets and getting into trouble to be a real big brother. He stepped out the front door, closing it gently behind him and watching Reno pace the porch for a moment before speaking. "Hey."

"The kid's an ass...how did he end up related to you?

Rude shrugged. "Every family's got one."

'"I swear if he gropes me again I'm not going to CARE if I'm in a room fulla your momma's antiques or not."

"Just ignore him," Rude offered, lighting up a cigarette. He knew he had just enough time to finish it before dinner would be ready.

"How do I ignore some kid reaching for the manbits, yo? especially considering. ..ah shit."

mRude sighed, exhaling smoke. "Eric's not into guys," Rude explained. "But everytime I brought someone home... he tried to take her. It's just... what he does." He left out the part about how Eric actually managed to steal one of his girlfriends away from him.

"He doesn't know what he's unleashin' messin' with me. ..you know I've never been one ta ignore bein' groped. ..you're the only one I let touch me."

"I know," Rude said, flicking his cigarette into the driveway and pulling Reno close. "Just... don't let him rile you up. That's all he's doing. Once he sees you won't take the bait, he'll quit."

"Or he'll get his ass beat black n' blue first. .. it's not like I can help gettin' riled up with people touchin' me uninvited."

"That'll only egg him on," Rude muttered, knowing that no matter what he said, Reno would do what Reno wanted to do.

Reno strode back in, still tight as a high tensile wire, obviously pissed.

"Rudolph," Gladys said as the boys came back in the house. "Tell your father dinner's ready. I'll take care of your... oh dear, should I call you his husband or his wife?"

"Yes, Momma," Rude said, walking through the kitchen and out the back door towards the garage.

Reno just shook his head, sitting down across from Eric, his expression clearly saying "back off or I hold no responsibility for your funeral costs."

Eric just smirked, taking a bite of a corn muffin almost suggestively. Almost.

Reno's eyes narrowed...oh yes, this kid was going to die. ..he wondered just how much the kid knew about his past. ..especially if they'd lived in midgar.

Eric had tried to follow in the middle child's footsteps, even trying to set up shop when Rude had gotten out of the running business. He wasn't very good at it, though, which lead him to nearly be killed several times had he not mentioned just who his brother was.

Suddenly Reno's eyes narrow even more. "You. ...you're that kid that shot at me for 'invading your territory' once when I picked up a trick there."

Eric raised the hand that didn't hold the muffin, showing a tiny Derringer. "Thought I saw you before."

"BOYS!" Gladys yelled, standing up and slapping her hands on the table. "There will be no firearms at the table, ya hear? None! I will have a peaceful dinner even if I have to kill BOTH of you."

"Eric," Bernard's voice was low as he walked into the dining room, flanked by Rude. "You will treat your brother's guest with respect. You're not too big to turn over my knee."

Reno was shuddering with rage. ..he knew he'd seen the kid before. ..and now he knew why. . .but much to his credit he didn't lunge across the table at him and kill him, though he was damn well tempted. ..but if the "w" word came out of the kid's mouth all bets were off.

Rude sat down next to Reno, one of his big hands resting on the redhead's thigh. He glared at his younger brother, mouthing a 'knock it the FUCK off' when he caught his attention.

Reno knew Rude would feel the trembling under his hand as he fought to hold down the rage that was doing its damndest to send him over the wall. ..the LAST thing Rude would want or need was his limit break going off over the dinner table, as much as he'd like to kill the punk.

Rude squeezed Reno's thigh harder, implying that it was neither the time nor the place to put Eric in his place.

'Did you know your wife's a whore?' Eric mouthed to Rude. 'I saw him with this guy, not that long ago.'

Rude's hand squeezed even harder, certain that there would be bruises forming there later if not sooner.

Reno rose to his feet now, not a damn thing could stop it. "I haven't been with anyone else but Rude in five years. .and what I did back then I did to survive, YOU end up under Corneo's tender mercies or the ones of one like him, considering he's fertilizing some flowers somewhere after having come out of the ass end of a behemoth about now, and you'll understand the reasons. ..until then, shut your fucking piehol

Rude gave up. He did. He stood up, dishing out a bowl of what turned out to be chili, not stew, for his mother, one for his father, one for Sam, and one for himself. If those two wanted to duke it out, Rude wasn't watching on an empty stomach.

Eric's response was both childish and uncalled for. He opened his mouth wide, a blatant non-shutting of his, as Reno put it, fucking piehole.

Reno's was just as childish. ..taking his emr, turning it on the stun setting, sticking it into Eric's mouth, and turning on the charge.

"Reno!" Rude yelled, knowing for sure his mother wasn't going to take kindly to not being listened to, new son in law or not.

The siezing of Eric's muscles caused him to pull the trigger on the Derringer, letting the single shot from the small pistol embed inself into the hardwood floor.

Reno then sat down. ..some of the shaking easing as he realzes how close that bullet had come to hitting HIM. .. then realizes it had grazed his leg and curses.. "ah. ..fuck. ..least it's only a flesh wound this time."

"ERIC!" Gladys yelled, pulling the boy up by his ears. "To your room. NOW." She then turned on Reno. "And I said no weapons at the table, mister." She stalked over to Reno, pulled him from his seat, and put him over her knee. With one quick swat, she sat him back down, glaring at both Turks. "Rude, take your wife--husband--WHATEVER and get him cleaned up." She paused, muttering, "I will have civility in this house even if I have to kill someone..."

He looked almost apologetic.. ."I-I'm sorry. .. he said that an' I just lost it. ..better than goin' limit at the table and probably destroyn' their home. .."

Rude shushed him, checking his injuries in the cramped powder room off the kitchen. "I told you to ignore him," Rude muttered. It didn't look bad... just a scrap and a little burn.

"'shard to ignore him.. maybe he'll leave me alone for a while now that he knows I'll fight back."

"Probably not," Rude mumbled, almost too quiet to hear. He stood, opening the medicine cabinet and pulling out some ointment. His parents didn't keep potions handy. They were a little old fashioned like that.

Reno sighed, leaning against him, he had just recently recovered from the physical injuries after the psychotic remnants. ..last thing he needed was to now get injured by his psychotic brother in law two days before his boss's wedding.

"Want me to see if Sam's got some spare potions?" Rude asked, gently rubbing in the ointment and wrapping the injury with very thin gauze.

"Nah, I deserved it...'slong as it don't bleed on the suits the boss has ordered for us, 'sall good."

See? Rude knew it was a bad idea for Reno to meet his family. However, his eyes widened as he remembered what his mother ALWAYS insisted when he showed up... and he was NOT sleeping under the same roof with his brother and Reno at odds. That... and it was kind of weird thinking about having sex while in your parents house. 


	21. Chapter 21

Reno stood staring in mute adoration now..his fingers twitched with sheer desire to get his hands inside the guts of that engine plain on his face. .."tools" he murmured.

"Rudolph," Bernard said, gesturing with his head and a tiny smile on his face. "Show him where I keep my tools."

Rude nodded, breathing a heavy sigh. Great. He just lost his husband to his father's 'other woman'.

Reno immediatly as soon as he had posession of the tools began tinkering inside, showing him things he could improve. "You see here? IF you take the normal air filter and intake system out, and put a cold air intake in, you'll not only increase the efficency of the engine by a good 10, and save yourself oodles of money for fuel, you'll also give her a good extra 30 horses." He then gestured to the space that was blank near the exhaust. "I could also stick a turbocharger right here, and that would add an extra good 50 horses.

"Hold on there, son," Bernard laughed. "I just got a few rules for working on Cecille here..."

Rude groaned. Yes, his dad named his car. After the old black and white movie star he had a crush on when he was a kid.

Reno nodded eagerly, like a kid who'd just been told as long as he was good he'd have free rein inside the candy store. "Yes sir."

Bernard ticked off the items on his fingers as he went down the list. "You scratch her paint, you repaint her. You ruin a part, you buy a new one. Treat her like gold and she'll purr for you like a kitten." He handed Reno a socket wrench almost ceremonially. "Just remember, if you're good to her, she'll be better to you."

Rude went about pulling various wrenches, spray cans of fluids, oils, greases, and other various things he was certain his father or Reno would ask for. However, his father DID refer to the redhead as 'son', a title which wasn't given freely by the head of the Urar clan.

"Yes, sir. .I'll be as good to her as I am to Leia" Yes, Reno had also named that swaggering big ass custom he'd built that he rode to work on the mornings he and Rude didn't ride in together in the car. "I'll be back in ten, I need ta get a couple parts." He strode out, and true to his word he was back in ten minutes sharp with the cold air intake and turbo he'd mentioned in hand, and within 90 minutes he had them both installed, plus a few other little tinkers that got the car completely running with that satisfying purr-RAWR of a powerful car in tip top shape "Now THAT is a sound I love."

"Good work, son," Bernard said, smiling proudly and patting Reno on the back. He just stood there for a minute, listening to the hum of the engine and smelling the fumes associated with working on cars.

Reno looks down at his watch and then looks at Rude, "Gotta get changed if we're gonna meet Sam so you c'n watch me fall on my ass a few times before we pick up our suits, eh?"

Rude breathed a sigh of relief. FINALLY, he could leave the garage.

"Rudolph," Bernard said, making his middle child stand at attention much like Tseng's voice could. Conditioning? "Make sure you take care of that boy." And that was the best well wishes they were going to get from the gruff old man.

Reno smiled and gave that5 silly wave he did sometimes, then a jaunty salute as they filed out, his hand firmly on Rude's ass. ..yes, Reno was in FINE form today.

"Boys..." Bernard's tone held a good natured warning. "Not in front of your mother. She'll either have a heart attack or do that cooing thing over you all day."

"Go," Rude quietly urged. "Before he calls us back." He REALLY wanted to hit the beach... and not just because he'd been cooped up in the garage with his dad and Reno cooing over a machine.

Reno nodded adn out the door they went.

Rude took the stairs two at a time, remembering that he would have to borrow a pair of board shorts from Sam. He knew exactly where to find them in his brother's dresser, and within a minute he was dressed in the black shorts, his jean shorts slung over his shoulder. His feet seemed a blur as he came down the stairs again, pausing to look over Reno. "You sure you don't want a pair of shorts? Jean gets a little uncomfortable when it's wet."

"Yeah, I do, yo, I don't think my normal swim attire would go over well with your bro."

Rude took the stairs two at a time again, but instead of going into Sam's dresser, he went into what used to be his. He muttered to himself, trying to find his shorts that his mother, for some reason, kept even though he grew out of them at 15. They should fit Reno. Maybe. They did have a pullstring waist, after all... There. He grabbed the neon green shorts and raced down the stairs again. Eager? Rude? Never.

Reno yanked them on, pulling the drawstring in tight, and realized just how much weight he had lost, "Damn, didn't know I'd gotten THAT skinny."

"Told you... need to eat more," Rude mumbled, pushing through the screen door and walking very quickly to the shed. He just hoped Eric didn't decide to 'use' his board... or the spare. He opened the shed door and breathed a sigh of relief. Both boards were there, unscathed, and in the same condition he'd left them in three years ago.

"Wouldn''t put it past the bastard to boobie trap one of 'em, yo. .say, where has the smartass been all day since breakfast, I wonder?"

"He knows better," Rude muttered. He'd explained to Eric, physically, why it was a bad idea to mess with his boards. The bald man snorted once. "He's probably in his room, pouting." Wouldn't put it past his little brother. Eric was known to act about one quarter of his age.  
M "Or plannin' something." Reno snorted as well, he'd in just one day gotten to know the kid well enough not to underestimate him.

"What's the worst he can do?" Rude asked. He knew his brother, and he knew Eric wasn't capable of doing anything serious on his own... or without an assload a help from someone who DIDN'T know Rude was a Turk.

"God only knows.. .how many o' your old buddies are actually able to stand him enough ta want ta help him out?"

"None. He screwed them all over at least twice." Rude took the boards carefully, almost lovingly out of the shed, handing one to Reno and setting his own along the side of the shed while he closed the door. "And all his friends, what few he has, are all petty do-nothings." He hefted his board under his arm. "It's a short walk to the beach. Walk or drive?"

"Walk it yo.. and yeah, know I'm bein' paranoid, but it's always the little shits you expect not ta be smart enough to pull shit that shock ya."

Rude started walking, his sunglasses glinting in the sunshine. "Eric is small time," Rude reassured the redhead. "Nothing more than an annoyance." He didn't have to add the fact that, well, Momma would KILL the youngest child if he did something.

"Just enough to annoy and embarrass the fuck outta me is all. ..shit, why do I have a feelin' you're gonna get to tell me 'I told you so'?"

Rude turned, walking backwards with a huge grin on his face. "Because I'm always right."

Reno snorted a laugh, and hauled his board out into the water as they reached the beach. ..he paddeled out. ..only to get knocked flat on his ass by the wave most locals would call "The big Kahuna" just as he stood up.

Rude kept one eye on Reno while he looked for Sam. There. He was already out there... and waving. They were spotted. Good. After making sure Reno was alive, Rude jogged up the beach a little to meet his elder brother just as he came in.

ow fuck, ow fuck" was all he said as he came back in...now, he hadn't broken it like Rude had after the "Chocobo incident" or even bruised it that bad, but his tailbone stil ached after hitting it on the board with the power that wave had mustered to knock him down.

"Hey, Rude, Reno. ..oh, by the way, Reno, better to start out small here, it's not like Junon, the waves here WILL knock you over without warning."

Rude chuckled, slapping a hand on Sam's back before wading into the water himself.

Reno headed back out into the water, and actually managed to ride a decent sized one all the way in without falling off the board or being knocked over. Once he started to see the pattern to the surf, his superb balance did the rest. Never let it be said Reno was dumb, he was far from it, simply that he had an unconventional pattern of thought.

Rude waited, letting a few decent sized waves pass him by. He had always only taken waves that he had a feeling for. The one and only time he'd gone against his instincts, he'd nearly drowned after being tangled in his cord and pulled into the riptide. He paddled out a little further.

Reno suddenly disappeared from sight as if he'd been teleported off his board, . .maybe he should have developed Rude's instincts. ..when he finally reappeared he was pulling with all his strength to reach shore against a fairly strong current, which would win was anyone's guess.

There. That was HIS wave. Rude paddled up to the wave, feeling his board catch the current just so. He quickly stood, catching his balace easily as the wave began to crest.

Sam decided it was best to keep an eye on Reno, and when he lost sight of the telltale red hair, he paddled over to where he'd seen Reno last.

Reno suddenly got yanked the rest of the way under, the only sound he made before it happened was a yelp. ..so this was what Sam meant. .no, it was in no way like swimming or doing anything ELSE in Mideel or Junon where compared to here the water was pretty tame.

Sam swore he saw strands of red floating in the water, moving ever so slowly out towards the ocean. He reached in, hoping Reno didn't care about getting his hair pulled if it meant saving his life.

Rude was one with the wave. He rode the barrel as far back as he dared, putting a hand out to touch the wall of water that he was determined to conquer.

Reno as he was pulled up looked like a completely drowned rat..though in reality he was only half-drowned, spluttering and coughing as he was hauled above the surface. ..for a very few seconds there he'd thought for sure he was going to die as he felt first the burning in his lungs from trying to hold his breath, then as his autonamic system took over and his breath whooshed out forcing him to inhale again the suffocating feeling of water filling his lungs. .it had been a very disconcerting feeling.  
Sam dropped into the water, pulling Reno's board closer with the cord so it wouldn't pull him away. He draped the redhead across his own board, letting him sputter. "You alive?" he asked.

Rude could feel the wave finishing its break, could feel it losing power and form as it neared the shore. He dove off the board into the water, surfacing, still wearing his sunglasses.

"Yeah, yo. ..never got pulled into a tide that strong before. " The words were hushed, each still interspersed by a spluttering cough as he fought to expel the remainder of the water from his lungs.

Rude looked around, noticing Sam and Reno a little ways off. He climbed back on his board, paddling over towards them.

Sam laughed. "Gotta be careful out here," he reminded the redhead. "We don't mess around with the tiny waves here in Costa. You want easy, go to Junon."

"Not lookin' for easy, just wasn't expectin' to get yanked under like that."

A hearty laugh bubbled from Sam's throat. "You gotta respect the power of the sea, man, or she won't respect you." He patted Reno's back again, making sure all the water had left his brother-in-law's lungs.

Reno stood dizzily for a moment, having new respect for the water here...then flashed Rude a thumbs up to say "m'okay" before heading back out. He knew to begin developing that instinct Rude already had from spending most of his youth here, and soon began to be able to feel the differences in the way the board felt under his feet which ones would be a god thrill ride and which ones were liable to yank him under in a nasty floated next to his brother, watching Reno. "I saw you hitting on my husband," he teased.

"Literally?" Sam teased back. "Besides, can't help it if you got your good taste from me."

Rude chuckled, the pointed towards Reno. "Think he's getting the hang of it?"

Reno hit a nice curl that lifted the board out of the water and let out a loud woop of absolute exhileration as the board pulled a full ollie and he landed on it standing.. riding the rest of the way in with a huge-ass grin.

"Possibly," Sam said, grinning almost proudly. It was like he gained another little brother. He elbowed Rude in the side. "So... you want to show him up, or should I?"

Rude made a 'be my guest' gesture with his hands. "Go for it, old man," he teased.

Reno flops back on the beach, enjoying the sun, and a fair amount of attention from the ladies as well, even though he was quite married didn't mean he didn't like the attention.

Sam paddled out, finding what would be a decent wave rather quickly. He popped up onto the board, sliding his feet back until he stood with his heels almost off the back of the board. After a moment he slid forward again, picking up speed before cutting back to where the wave was breaking behind him. Sam turned his board just in time to avoid wiping out, picking up speed again before falling back into the curl.

Reno whooped watching him. "Go, GO!" was he a poor sport? Hell no, he was enjoying himself.

Sam had both hands out, slowing himself down until he could almost feel the falling white water pushing the tail of his board. He crouched down, carving his board through the water to gain speed again. After a moment of riding the top of the wave, he cut back down almost to the bottom before turning again, sending himself over the top into the air. He jumped off the board, diving into the water and letting the wave finish its trek to the sand.

Rude applauded, paddling over towards his brother, catching and riding a few small waves on the way over.

Reno finally felt the need to show them up. ..back out he went..the Big Kahuna came back, and he not only did he ride it, he did a showy flip and with his knowledge that seemed almost supernatural of where he was in space at all times he landed precisely with a dancer's grace directly in the center of the board and rode back in, giving the two brothers a salute.

Sam applauded, glancing over at Rude's approaching form. As he sat on the board, his smile grew wider. When Rude finished his approad, Sam reached out and pushed, sending the bald man into the water, sputtering. Mischevious? Sam? Never.

"Yo, big man, 's1: 30, time for us to get back n'get changed again, an' I need a shower to get this salt outta my hair."

Rude didn't hear him, however, as he was too busy pulling Sam's foot in the water to knock his elder brother off balance. As soon as Sam hit the water, Rude surfaced, a sort of triumphant smile on his face. That is, until a certain elder brother pulled him back under the water.

Reno yelped as a hand grabbed his leg as well and he fell over on his ass into the shallow water. "Ok, which o' you two pulled me down?"

Both brothers were laughing when they surfaced, neither one admitting to pulling Reno's leg. They did, however, start splashing water at eachother, occassionally sending a splash Reno's way.

Reno splashed back, he got a wide, almost spooky grin on his face. . .a sudden wind spell from the bracer he ALWAYS wore kicking up...splashing them both quite thoroughly. The wind materia had been spawned from another materia and he'd mastered it himself, thereby he'd been permitted to keep it even with the resoration underway. ..that cheeky smirk never left his face.

Both Sam and Rude stood there, dripping and glaring at Reno. Sam gave Rude a look, which Rude returned, and suddenly a wide grin split both their faces. As if one person, they reached down, unfastening their board leashes, pushing the boards onto the sand, and tackling the redhead.

Reno yelped again, as he fell on his back wrestling the two of them trying to get up, but he knew there was no way... he actually did a fairly good job of tamping down the flashback that threatened, because he knew spazzing on sam would be a VERY bad idea and lead to uncomfortable realities of his past being discussed, though they both would likely have felt how he stiffened in the effort.

Rude held Reno's shoulders down, feeling the stiffness in them. He whispered, "It's just me," against the redhead's lips before he claimed them.

Sam, however, was still playing along. He moved to sit on Reno's thighs, holding his legs down and reaching up to

Reno burst out laughing into his mouth, Sam had found the one spot that if hit would NOT allow him to prevent himself from laughing, the stiffness beginning to ease.

Sam continued tickling away, sliding his hips down a little further to sit lightly on Reno's knees. He reached over once, tickling the inside of Rude's thigh, a spot most people didn't know about, before trying the same thing to Reno.

Rude, however, was just interested in getting his damn kiss.

Reno finally relaxed enough to kiss back, his eyes sliding closed, although his leg twitched in reflexive response to the tickle.

It took Sam a moment to realize what was going on. "Hey!" he said loudly. "Hey! Hey! None of that here! I don't need to see that!"

Rude pulled away and blushed, a little irrated and embarassed at how the board shorts he wore hid... well... nothing.

Reno flipped Sam off and returned to his rather. .enjoyable effort, finally his muscles relaxed completely, the threat of the flashback chased away for now. his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks as he lets out a soft gasp.

Rude was a little busy, his lips trailing down to trace the lines of Reno's jaw and neck.

"You'd like to, wouldn't you?" Sam threw back, wishing he could take back the double entendre of the words he'd just spoken. He blushed, a hand going to run through his military-short hair.

As Reno broke away a second he said "Yeah, but Rude would kill us both, yo. .and if you got caught neither of you would ever live it down."

"Y--you're pulling my leg, right?" Sam asked, stuttering just a little at Reno's blatant honesty. He'd never really thought of himself as attractive before... nor had he thought of other men that way. He also didn't notice how he hadn't moved from sitting on Reno's upper shins.

Rude had moved over to Reno's ears, nibbling the lobes and licking the shells, first brushing off the sand delicately with his fingertips.

Reno gasped. ..Gods...what the sensation of what Rude was doing right now combined with Sam's reaction at what he'd just said...it made him so fucking incredibly hot. "I don' pull legs when it comes ta lovin', Sam. ..a fact your brother knows quite well."

"You mean... you... and him... and..." Sam was at a loss for words, his face getting redder by the second. He looked over at his younger brother, and, without really wanting to, realized that board shorts hid NOTHING. "Jesus, Rudy, put that thing away!"

Rude was feeling, in a word, frisky. Maybe even adventurous. He made sure he whispered only loud enough for Reno to hear. "You want a hall pass, make it count." Maybe it was the leftover adrenaline from the hour of surfing. Maybe it was the other leftover adrenaline from the water fight. Or maybe it was the way Reno's voice took on that tone, paired with the lustful flush to his skin.

Reno put one hand boldly on Sam's crotch. ..that wide, lazy, sensual grin growing even wider.

"Jesus... I..." Sam froze. His brother's... Rudy's... Reno was... All he could manage was to sit there and stare, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Rude moved off Reno, sitting with both his feet half buried in the sand, his knees up and apart and his arms draped at the elbows on his knees. A quick glance around showed that most people had either moved away from the trio or had left the beach entirely. Good.

"What, you don't like? Rude certainly does. ..I'm a Piano player's kid yo. I got good fingers."

"I..." Sam gulped. He could feel even the minutest twitch of Reno's fingers. "I can tell." He felt like a deer in headlights. On one hand, Reno was an awful attractive man who was very obviously attracted back. On the other hand, Reno was just that: a man. Sam had never really been interested in men. Sure, he appreciated beauty, but... On the other other hand, this was Rudy's HUSBAND. His little brother's husband.

"Ever heard of a hall pass, Sammy?" Rude broke out the childhood nickname, his tone teasing. He nodded to Reno, indicating that the redhead could continue.

Reno did just that.. . those nimble fingers had Sam out of his shorts faster than words could speak. ..soon all thoughts of just WHO and What Reno was would be flushed from Sam's mind by the feel of a soft, lush-lipped, and very talented mouth.

If Sam's eyes could get any wider, they would have. His mouth fell open, only a tiny whimpering sound coming from it. He was torn between looking down and watching himself disappear into the beautiful redhead, or watch his brother orchestrating this... this... whatever it was. "You've... you've been in Midgar too long, Rudy," he managed to gasp out of his suddenly dry mouth.

Rude shrugged. Whether it was the city itself or the redheaded product of its streets, Rude found the sight rather... nice, to put it gently. To put it bluntly? Fucking hot.

Reno's eyes rolled back as he tried to shrug his way out of the shorts while not letting go of the tasty bit in his mouth. .. he took Sam down into his throat, the muscles making a swallowing motion and twicthing around the head as his tongue seemingly did an acrobatic move to wrap itself fully around the failry impressive shaft. he then pulled up and slammed the cock back into his throat again, tongue moving but not letting go.

Sam couldn't breathe. He couldn't. It felt as if his eyes were going to explode out of his head. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Bob... if Reno only did THAT with Rudy, he could see why his brother kept the redhead around. All he could do was grip the sand tightly and hang on for dear life.

Rude shifted closer, then closer still. His sunglasses hid his eyes from his brother, but he could tell Sam was getting a little uncomfortable with his ever closening presense.

Reno moaned. .able to feel the older man twiitching inside his mouth. ..he nipped gently, then bobbed up and down again, letting teeth scrape lightly as he moved, his fingers finding Sam's balls, kneading gently while he supported himself on his other arm.

Before Sam could push either of them away, Rude moved quickly, claiming his elder's lips with his own, swallowing down the cry of ecstacy as Sam released into Reno's mouth.

Reno swallowed down every drop, the muscles of his back and ass twitching as he he kneeled fully, his own arousal now quite obvious.

Rude slid away, releasing Sam's lips with a last lick to the upper and lower one.

"Ru-Rudolph!" There it was. The full name. Sam's voice was rather high pitched, almost to the point of hysteria. "You... and he... and... Jesus Christ... and... but... you're my brother... and... and in-law... and... fuck..."

Reno was groaning both names, wiggling his hips, he was PAINFULLY hard...hearing the moans and cries coming from his brother in law had been so extremely hot

Rude inched closer until he could breathe in Sam's ear. "Samuel," he said, voice holding a very slight, almost imperceivable sing-song to it. "I think he wants you to kiss him."

Sam jumped at Rude's words and the feeling of his brother's breath on his strangely sensitive ear.

"He's begging you, Sammy," Rude whispered again, painfully hard himself.

Reno took the initative, siezing Sam's lips himself while his ass wiggled quite becomingly in front of Rude. ..

Rude slid himself behind Reno, an arm wrapping around the redhead's chest to pull him flush against himself as Sam pulled himself almost frantically away.

"Reno!" Sam protested, panting, but not moving any further away. His eyes were wide as he took in his brother and his brother-in-law.

"Sammy," Rude's voice held that mild sing-song to it again. "You're not going to leave him like this, are you?" He brushed as much sand as he could off one hand, sliding it carefully down Reno's back and into his shorts. "See?" he asked, using a single finger to tease at Reno's entrance.

Reno let out a sound half-gasp half moan as his cheeks grew pink with heat...his muscles giving another twitch and with a sllight hitch that finger slid inside, eliciting another whimpering mewl. . .he was absolutely on fire.

There was no thought between Rude's words and Sam's action. He leaned forward, claiming Reno's lips as if he would consume him.

Rude slipped another finger into Reno, scissoring his fingers slightly.

Reno was moaning loudly into Sam's mouth, pushing back and forth onto Rude's fingers, he felt. .Gods, he had no idea how to even describe it, his brain was completely gone, he couldn't have cared less who was here right now, his entire body buzzing as if with electricity. .. .his eyes at half mast he wanted, NO NEEDED, more. ..he released his lips from Sam's only long enough to say "Take me...Gods, take me."

Rude's hands were quick, sliding Reno's board shorts down just enough to press himself into the redhead, slowly... so slowly. It was a delightful agony.

Sam's hands unconsciously went to Reno's face, holding the redhead there to be thoroughly kissed. God, that mouth... No matter where it was it felt absolutely WONDERFUL.

Reno was gasping. ..moaning ...shivering...he was so thoroughly on fire he had no ida even which way was up or down. ..his eyes rolling back into his skull with each thrust that drove his tounge deeper into Sam's mouth.

Sam's hands slid into Reno's hair, pulling slightly as he grasped the red spikes. Good god, was he getting hard again?

Rude wasn't worrying about waiting for, well, anything. He began quickly and efficiently thrusting into Reno, making sure to aim for that spot inside him at least 2 out of 3 times.

Reno's head tilted back as more soft mewling moans echoed from him, his pulse could be easily seen in the arteries at his throat...thud..thud-thud...thud.. occasionally skipping beats as the pleasure grew so intense it was almost sharp, almost cutting. ..his legs trembling as he fought to hold himself onto his knees. ..his whole body had become the same soft pink as his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, sweat dripping softly from his face as those elegant features contorted into a grimace of absolute lust-fire. ..his eyes screwed tight shut...cock weeping and seeking a friction he could not provide for himself due to needing both hands just to stay up.

Rude's hand was quick, shooting up to pull Sam's from the redhead's hair. "Here," he growled, setting his elder brother's hand on Reno's arousal. He saw Sam's eyes get wide, and interpreted correctly. "Just like you've done to yourself," he guided, helping to wrap Sam's hand around Reno and helping with the first few strokes.

Reno's breathing grew ragged. ..he was shaking all over...no way in HELL could he find a voice right now, if there was one way to shut the lithe redhaired Turk up it was to debauch him to the point where his brain shut off. ..and the two brothers were doing just that. ..all he could do was ride the tide of delirious passion out just as he'd ridden the waves earlier that day. ..limbs shivering like a newborn cuahl's. ..lips parting and forming a pert "o" of amazement. ..eyes sliding and then screwing shut.. ..his body rocking between the two.

Rude was fairly certain both Reno and Sam could hear his jaw pop as his mouth opened wide, a soundless scream from his throat as he released himself inside Reno.

Sam couldn't take his eyes away from where his hand connected with Reno's flesh. It was almost as if he were in a dream, a surreal world where nothing was what it seemed.

Reno did let out a loud, ringing cry as his body stiffened, then rocked. ... limbs spasming with the force of the climax as he sprayed Sam's hand. ..his eyes fluttering as his body tried to decide whether to simply shut down or not.

Rude pulled himself from Reno's still slightly spasming body, bending his neck to press featherlight kisses to his shoulders.

Sam blinked. He blinked again. He raised his hand, looking at the warm liquid covering it.

Shit. .shit yo. ..need. .need ta get cleaned up. .'salmost 2. ."

Sam?" Rude asked, his tone inquiring as to the okay-ness of his brother.

Sam, however, wasn't paying any attention to either of them. He looked at his hand, turning it over again and again... before sticking out his tongue to touch the fluid there. It was... salty. And not nearly as bitter as his past girlfriends had claimed.

Reno stood, on still rather shaky limbs, heading back toward the house, hoping they hadn't been seen. . .they had an hour before they were supposed to meet Tseng and Rufus to get their suits fitted, and he needed to clean up.

Sam's pupils were wide as he looked up at Rude. "Rudy?" he asked, his voice sounding small.

"Come on, Sam," Rude said, helping his brother stand. "We need to get cleaned up."

Reno turned back, taking Sam's other arm, the three of them beginning to make their way back. ..he just hoped he hadn't scarred the elder Urar child for life.

Sam was not being hystarical. He wasn't. He would not let this bother him. It was just him and two other guys 'enjoying' each other's company. So what if it was his brother and his brother's husband? He whimpered just a little.

"It's okay, Sammy," Rude whispered in his brother's ear. "There's nothing wrong... or dirty... or bad about anything... Really."

Reno whispered an apology...sometimes when the reptilian part of his brain took over it got him in trouble.

"No... NO!" Sam said, breaking away from the two to turn and face them. "It's... it's not you, Reno... it's just that..." He reached out his sticky hand towards Rude.

"It's me," Rude stated plainly. He knew that was going to be the problem.

"Still was me that instigated it. .an'.. ah shit. ..

"No, no, Reno..." Sam's sticky hand went through his hair, and he grimaced once he realized what he'd done. "It's not your fault... I... I was a willing participant and... well..."

Rude was silent. He really didn't know what to do when people started freaking out.

"Tell ya what, let's just go in, an' get cleaned up, an' we'll deal with it after the wedding rehearsel, Tseng'll have my ass if I don't get to it." He turned to add "And not in the PLEASENT way"

Sam nodded, falling as silent as his younger sibling. The fact that the splooge in his hair was making it stand even more straight up didn't seem to bother him. He could feel a Lady Macbeth moment coming later that evening.

Rude nodded, choosing not to touch his brother, but instead to just walk towards the house, surfboards under his arms.

Reno just hopes to God Eric didn't see that or none of them would hear the end of it.

"Well, isn't this convenient?" Eric muttered to himself from behind a rather large, conveniently placed bush. He waved a Polaroid picture in the air, waiting for it to finish developing like the others. Blackmail, anyone?

"Come on," Rude said, holding the door open when they got back to the house. "You take the shower first, Sam." It was the least he could do.

"Thanks," the eldest Urar said, his face strangely white.

Reno's senses suddenly buzzed as he caught a flash of dark hair in a nearby bush, he nodded in that direction, then looked at Rude.

Rude was far too concerned about Sam to worry about whatever Reno saw in the bush. Whatever it was, it could wait.

Reno shrugged, headed inside.. .just hoping it wasn't who he'd thought it was...and that it didn't explode in their faces later...of course he could dive into the bush and beat the person senseless, but Sam was main priority at the moment.

After Sam had shut the bathroom door, Rude just stood outside of it, staring at the door as if it would solve all of his problems.

Reno was shaky, nigh on to freaking himself as he resisted the urge to beat his head into the wall. ..Stupid. ..stupid. .stupid.. .the chant took itself up in his head.

Sam, meanwhile, had turned the water to its hottest setting, scrubbing at his skin as tears he didn't realize were falling dripped down his nose. Out, damn spot. Out, I say.

"I was so STUPID! I egged it on.. .SHIT!"

"Reno!" Rude barked, turning to face his partner. "What's done is..." he sighed. "Done. Sam will... he'll just have to come to terms with it. And we," he made sure to catch Reno's eyes for that part. "We will make sure it doesn't happen again."

Reno nodded, but his jaw tightened. .."I thought I saw Eric outside...what. ..what if he saw that. ..? shit. ..:

Eric chose that moment to step out of his bedroom at the end of the hallway. He took one look at the pair of Turks, then tsked. "You two aren't fucking in the shower again, are you?"

"No, we aren't, this time we have to get ready, we have a rehearsal to get to.

Eric snorted. "Rehersal? For what? A fucking queer ass ballet recital?"

Rude spoke evenly, his tone implying that he was NOT in the mood. "Fuck off, Eric."

"Wedding rehearsal, got a problem with that, jackass?"

"Who's getting married? More of your queer little butt buddies?" Eric was on a roll.

Reno had both fists curled...about ready to bust Eric's face. ..he dove the kid finally.pinning him down with added strength from his fury. "It's the leader of the Turks wedding if you must know. .and if he heard you call him queer, you'd likely be dead." ..

"Reno!" Rude barked. He was moving before he even realized it. Regardless of how much he disliked his little brother, Eric was just that. And his instincts told him to protect the twerp, even from his husband. Rude's hands landed on Reno's shoulders, pulling the redhead off Eric with ease.

Reno gave Rude a sharp look. ..one that said he was more pissed off than anyone could imagine, and stormed outside. ..

Until he found a photo stuck to his chest. ..one that caused his face to go sheet white. ..

Eric laughed, the sound hollow. "Thanks, bro."

Rude picked Eric up by his shoulders, half pushing, half throwing the boy towards the end of the hallway. "Don't fucking talk to him anymore." It was a command, one that didn't allow for any dissent from anyone.

"Rude.. ." he called softly. ..anger gone, replaced by shock.

"Not. Now." Rude's voice told of his barely held back anger. He was tired. Tired of Eric always causing trouble. Tired of Reno's ability to be goaded so easily into a pointless fight. Tired of trying to figure out how to deal with Sam's sudden shutting out of everyone. Tired of a lot of things. 


	22. Chapter 22

Reno stood staring in mute adoration now..his fingers twitched with sheer desire to get his hands inside the guts of that engine plain on his face. .."tools" he murmured.

"Rudolph," Bernard said, gesturing with his head and a tiny smile on his face. "Show him where I keep my tools."

Rude nodded, breathing a heavy sigh. Great. He just lost his husband to his father's 'other woman'.

Reno immediatly as soon as he had posession of the tools began tinkering inside, showing him things he could improve. "You see here? IF you take the normal air filter and intake system out, and put a cold air intake in, you'll not only increase the efficency of the engine by a good 10, and save yourself oodles of money for fuel, you'll also give her a good extra 30 horses." He then gestured to the space that was blank near the exhaust. "I could also stick a turbocharger right here, and that would add an extra good 50 horses.

"Hold on there, son," Bernard laughed. "I just got a few rules for working on Cecille here..."

Rude groaned. Yes, his dad named his car. After the old black and white movie star he had a crush on when he was a kid.

Reno nodded eagerly, like a kid who'd just been told as long as he was good he'd have free rein inside the candy store. "Yes sir."

Bernard ticked off the items on his fingers as he went down the list. "You scratch her paint, you repaint her. You ruin a part, you buy a new one. Treat her like gold and she'll purr for you like a kitten." He handed Reno a socket wrench almost ceremonially. "Just remember, if you're good to her, she'll be better to you."

Rude went about pulling various wrenches, spray cans of fluids, oils, greases, and other various things he was certain his father or Reno would ask for. However, his father DID refer to the redhead as 'son', a title which wasn't given freely by the head of the Urar clan.

"Yes, sir. .I'll be as good to her as I am to Leia" Yes, Reno had also named that swaggering big ass custom he'd built that he rode to work on the mornings he and Rude didn't ride in together in the car. "I'll be back in ten, I need ta get a couple parts." He strode out, and true to his word he was back in ten minutes sharp with the cold air intake and turbo he'd mentioned in hand, and within 90 minutes he had them both installed, plus a few other little tinkers that got the car completely running with that satisfying purr-RAWR of a powerful car in tip top shape "Now THAT is a sound I love."

"Good work, son," Bernard said, smiling proudly and patting Reno on the back. He just stood there for a minute, listening to the hum of the engine and smelling the fumes associated with working on cars.

Reno looks down at his watch and then looks at Rude, "Gotta get changed if we're gonna meet Sam so you c'n watch me fall on my ass a few times before we pick up our suits, eh?"

Rude breathed a sigh of relief. FINALLY, he could leave the garage.

"Rudolph," Bernard said, making his middle child stand at attention much like Tseng's voice could. Conditioning? "Make sure you take care of that boy." And that was the best well wishes they were going to get from the gruff old man.

Reno smiled and gave that5 silly wave he did sometimes, then a jaunty salute as they filed out, his hand firmly on Rude's ass. ..yes, Reno was in FINE form today.

"Boys..." Bernard's tone held a good natured warning. "Not in front of your mother. She'll either have a heart attack or do that cooing thing over you all day."

"Go," Rude quietly urged. "Before he calls us back." He REALLY wanted to hit the beach... and not just because he'd been cooped up in the garage with his dad and Reno cooing over a machine.

Reno nodded adn out the door they went.

Rude took the stairs two at a time, remembering that he would have to borrow a pair of board shorts from Sam. He knew exactly where to find them in his brother's dresser, and within a minute he was dressed in the black shorts, his jean shorts slung over his shoulder. His feet seemed a blur as he came down the stairs again, pausing to look over Reno. "You sure you don't want a pair of shorts? Jean gets a little uncomfortable when it's wet."

"Yeah, I do, yo, I don't think my normal swim attire would go over well with your bro."

Rude took the stairs two at a time again, but instead of going into Sam's dresser, he went into what used to be his. He muttered to himself, trying to find his shorts that his mother, for some reason, kept even though he grew out of them at 15. They should fit Reno. Maybe. They did have a pullstring waist, after all... There. He grabbed the neon green shorts and raced down the stairs again. Eager? Rude? Never.

Reno yanked them on, pulling the drawstring in tight, and realized just how much weight he had lost, "Damn, didn't know I'd gotten THAT skinny."

"Told you... need to eat more," Rude mumbled, pushing through the screen door and walking very quickly to the shed. He just hoped Eric didn't decide to 'use' his board... or the spare. He opened the shed door and breathed a sigh of relief. Both boards were there, unscathed, and in the same condition he'd left them in three years ago.

"Wouldn''t put it past the bastard to boobie trap one of 'em, yo. .say, where has the smartass been all day since breakfast, I wonder?"

"He knows better," Rude muttered. He'd explained to Eric, physically, why it was a bad idea to mess with his boards. The bald man snorted once. "He's probably in his room, pouting." Wouldn't put it past his little brother. Eric was known to act about one quarter of his age.  
M "Or plannin' something." Reno snorted as well, he'd in just one day gotten to know the kid well enough not to underestimate him.

"What's the worst he can do?" Rude asked. He knew his brother, and he knew Eric wasn't capable of doing anything serious on his own... or without an assload a help from someone who DIDN'T know Rude was a Turk.

"God only knows.. .how many o' your old buddies are actually able to stand him enough ta want ta help him out?"

"None. He screwed them all over at least twice." Rude took the boards carefully, almost lovingly out of the shed, handing one to Reno and setting his own along the side of the shed while he closed the door. "And all his friends, what few he has, are all petty do-nothings." He hefted his board under his arm. "It's a short walk to the beach. Walk or drive?"

"Walk it yo.. and yeah, know I'm bein' paranoid, but it's always the little shits you expect not ta be smart enough to pull shit that shock ya."

Rude started walking, his sunglasses glinting in the sunshine. "Eric is small time," Rude reassured the redhead. "Nothing more than an annoyance." He didn't have to add the fact that, well, Momma would KILL the youngest child if he did something.

"Just enough to annoy and embarrass the fuck outta me is all. ..shit, why do I have a feelin' you're gonna get to tell me 'I told you so'?"

Rude turned, walking backwards with a huge grin on his face. "Because I'm always right."

Reno snorted a laugh, and hauled his board out into the water as they reached the beach. ..he paddeled out. ..only to get knocked flat on his ass by the wave most locals would call "The big Kahuna" just as he stood up.

Rude kept one eye on Reno while he looked for Sam. There. He was already out there... and waving. They were spotted. Good. After making sure Reno was alive, Rude jogged up the beach a little to meet his elder brother just as he came in.

ow fuck, ow fuck" was all he said as he came back in...now, he hadn't broken it like Rude had after the "Chocobo incident" or even bruised it that bad, but his tailbone stil ached after hitting it on the board with the power that wave had mustered to knock him down.

"Hey, Rude, Reno. ..oh, by the way, Reno, better to start out small here, it's not like Junon, the waves here WILL knock you over without warning."

Rude chuckled, slapping a hand on Sam's back before wading into the water himself.

Reno headed back out into the water, and actually managed to ride a decent sized one all the way in without falling off the board or being knocked over. Once he started to see the pattern to the surf, his superb balance did the rest. Never let it be said Reno was dumb, he was far from it, simply that he had an unconventional pattern of thought.

Rude waited, letting a few decent sized waves pass him by. He had always only taken waves that he had a feeling for. The one and only time he'd gone against his instincts, he'd nearly drowned after being tangled in his cord and pulled into the riptide. He paddled out a little further.

Reno suddenly disappeared from sight as if he'd been teleported off his board, . .maybe he should have developed Rude's instincts. ..when he finally reappeared he was pulling with all his strength to reach shore against a fairly strong current, which would win was anyone's guess.

There. That was HIS wave. Rude paddled up to the wave, feeling his board catch the current just so. He quickly stood, catching his balace easily as the wave began to crest.

Sam decided it was best to keep an eye on Reno, and when he lost sight of the telltale red hair, he paddled over to where he'd seen Reno last.

Reno suddenly got yanked the rest of the way under, the only sound he made before it happened was a yelp. ..so this was what Sam meant. .no, it was in no way like swimming or doing anything ELSE in Mideel or Junon where compared to here the water was pretty tame.

Sam swore he saw strands of red floating in the water, moving ever so slowly out towards the ocean. He reached in, hoping Reno didn't care about getting his hair pulled if it meant saving his life.

Rude was one with the wave. He rode the barrel as far back as he dared, putting a hand out to touch the wall of water that he was determined to conquer.

Reno as he was pulled up looked like a completely drowned rat..though in reality he was only half-drowned, spluttering and coughing as he was hauled above the surface. ..for a very few seconds there he'd thought for sure he was going to die as he felt first the burning in his lungs from trying to hold his breath, then as his autonamic system took over and his breath whooshed out forcing him to inhale again the suffocating feeling of water filling his lungs. .it had been a very disconcerting feeling.  
Sam dropped into the water, pulling Reno's board closer with the cord so it wouldn't pull him away. He draped the redhead across his own board, letting him sputter. "You alive?" he asked.

Rude could feel the wave finishing its break, could feel it losing power and form as it neared the shore. He dove off the board into the water, surfacing, still wearing his sunglasses.

"Yeah, yo. ..never got pulled into a tide that strong before. " The words were hushed, each still interspersed by a spluttering cough as he fought to expel the remainder of the water from his lungs.

Rude looked around, noticing Sam and Reno a little ways off. He climbed back on his board, paddling over towards them.

Sam laughed. "Gotta be careful out here," he reminded the redhead. "We don't mess around with the tiny waves here in Costa. You want easy, go to Junon."

"Not lookin' for easy, just wasn't expectin' to get yanked under like that."

A hearty laugh bubbled from Sam's throat. "You gotta respect the power of the sea, man, or she won't respect you." He patted Reno's back again, making sure all the water had left his brother-in-law's lungs.

Reno stood dizzily for a moment, having new respect for the water here...then flashed Rude a thumbs up to say "m'okay" before heading back out. He knew to begin developing that instinct Rude already had from spending most of his youth here, and soon began to be able to feel the differences in the way the board felt under his feet which ones would be a god thrill ride and which ones were liable to yank him under in a nasty floated next to his brother, watching Reno. "I saw you hitting on my husband," he teased.

"Literally?" Sam teased back. "Besides, can't help it if you got your good taste from me."

Rude chuckled, the pointed towards Reno. "Think he's getting the hang of it?"

Reno hit a nice curl that lifted the board out of the water and let out a loud woop of absolute exhileration as the board pulled a full ollie and he landed on it standing.. riding the rest of the way in with a huge-ass grin.

"Possibly," Sam said, grinning almost proudly. It was like he gained another little brother. He elbowed Rude in the side. "So... you want to show him up, or should I?"

Rude made a 'be my guest' gesture with his hands. "Go for it, old man," he teased.

Reno flops back on the beach, enjoying the sun, and a fair amount of attention from the ladies as well, even though he was quite married didn't mean he didn't like the attention.

Sam paddled out, finding what would be a decent wave rather quickly. He popped up onto the board, sliding his feet back until he stood with his heels almost off the back of the board. After a moment he slid forward again, picking up speed before cutting back to where the wave was breaking behind him. Sam turned his board just in time to avoid wiping out, picking up speed again before falling back into the curl.

Reno whooped watching him. "Go, GO!" was he a poor sport? Hell no, he was enjoying himself.

Sam had both hands out, slowing himself down until he could almost feel the falling white water pushing the tail of his board. He crouched down, carving his board through the water to gain speed again. After a moment of riding the top of the wave, he cut back down almost to the bottom before turning again, sending himself over the top into the air. He jumped off the board, diving into the water and letting the wave finish its trek to the sand.

Rude applauded, paddling over towards his brother, catching and riding a few small waves on the way over.

Reno finally felt the need to show them up. ..back out he went..the Big Kahuna came back, and he not only did he ride it, he did a showy flip and with his knowledge that seemed almost supernatural of where he was in space at all times he landed precisely with a dancer's grace directly in the center of the board and rode back in, giving the two brothers a salute.

Sam applauded, glancing over at Rude's approaching form. As he sat on the board, his smile grew wider. When Rude finished his approad, Sam reached out and pushed, sending the bald man into the water, sputtering. Mischevious? Sam? Never.

"Yo, big man, 's1: 30, time for us to get back n'get changed again, an' I need a shower to get this salt outta my hair."

Rude didn't hear him, however, as he was too busy pulling Sam's foot in the water to knock his elder brother off balance. As soon as Sam hit the water, Rude surfaced, a sort of triumphant smile on his face. That is, until a certain elder brother pulled him back under the water.

Reno yelped as a hand grabbed his leg as well and he fell over on his ass into the shallow water. "Ok, which o' you two pulled me down?"

Both brothers were laughing when they surfaced, neither one admitting to pulling Reno's leg. They did, however, start splashing water at eachother, occassionally sending a splash Reno's way.

Reno splashed back, he got a wide, almost spooky grin on his face. . .a sudden wind spell from the bracer he ALWAYS wore kicking up...splashing them both quite thoroughly. The wind materia had been spawned from another materia and he'd mastered it himself, thereby he'd been permitted to keep it even with the resoration underway. ..that cheeky smirk never left his face.

Both Sam and Rude stood there, dripping and glaring at Reno. Sam gave Rude a look, which Rude returned, and suddenly a wide grin split both their faces. As if one person, they reached down, unfastening their board leashes, pushing the boards onto the sand, and tackling the redhead.

Reno yelped again, as he fell on his back wrestling the two of them trying to get up, but he knew there was no way... he actually did a fairly good job of tamping down the flashback that threatened, because he knew spazzing on sam would be a VERY bad idea and lead to uncomfortable realities of his past being discussed, though they both would likely have felt how he stiffened in the effort.

Rude held Reno's shoulders down, feeling the stiffness in them. He whispered, "It's just me," against the redhead's lips before he claimed them.

Sam, however, was still playing along. He moved to sit on Reno's thighs, holding his legs down and reaching up to

Reno burst out laughing into his mouth, Sam had found the one spot that if hit would NOT allow him to prevent himself from laughing, the stiffness beginning to ease.

Sam continued tickling away, sliding his hips down a little further to sit lightly on Reno's knees. He reached over once, tickling the inside of Rude's thigh, a spot most people didn't know about, before trying the same thing to Reno.

Rude, however, was just interested in getting his damn kiss.

Reno finally relaxed enough to kiss back, his eyes sliding closed, although his leg twitched in reflexive response to the tickle.

It took Sam a moment to realize what was going on. "Hey!" he said loudly. "Hey! Hey! None of that here! I don't need to see that!"

Rude pulled away and blushed, a little irrated and embarassed at how the board shorts he wore hid... well... nothing.

Reno flipped Sam off and returned to his rather. .enjoyable effort, finally his muscles relaxed completely, the threat of the flashback chased away for now. his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks as he lets out a soft gasp.

Rude was a little busy, his lips trailing down to trace the lines of Reno's jaw and neck.

"You'd like to, wouldn't you?" Sam threw back, wishing he could take back the double entendre of the words he'd just spoken. He blushed, a hand going to run through his military-short hair.

As Reno broke away a second he said "Yeah, but Rude would kill us both, yo. .and if you got caught neither of you would ever live it down."

"Y--you're pulling my leg, right?" Sam asked, stuttering just a little at Reno's blatant honesty. He'd never really thought of himself as attractive before... nor had he thought of other men that way. He also didn't notice how he hadn't moved from sitting on Reno's upper shins.

Rude had moved over to Reno's ears, nibbling the lobes and licking the shells, first brushing off the sand delicately with his fingertips.

Reno gasped. ..Gods...what the sensation of what Rude was doing right now combined with Sam's reaction at what he'd just said...it made him so fucking incredibly hot. "I don' pull legs when it comes ta lovin', Sam. ..a fact your brother knows quite well."

"You mean... you... and him... and..." Sam was at a loss for words, his face getting redder by the second. He looked over at his younger brother, and, without really wanting to, realized that board shorts hid NOTHING. "Jesus, Rudy, put that thing away!"

Rude was feeling, in a word, frisky. Maybe even adventurous. He made sure he whispered only loud enough for Reno to hear. "You want a hall pass, make it count." Maybe it was the leftover adrenaline from the hour of surfing. Maybe it was the other leftover adrenaline from the water fight. Or maybe it was the way Reno's voice took on that tone, paired with the lustful flush to his skin.

Reno put one hand boldly on Sam's crotch. ..that wide, lazy, sensual grin growing even wider.

"Jesus... I..." Sam froze. His brother's... Rudy's... Reno was... All he could manage was to sit there and stare, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Rude moved off Reno, sitting with both his feet half buried in the sand, his knees up and apart and his arms draped at the elbows on his knees. A quick glance around showed that most people had either moved away from the trio or had left the beach entirely. Good.

"What, you don't like? Rude certainly does. ..I'm a Piano player's kid yo. I got good fingers."

"I..." Sam gulped. He could feel even the minutest twitch of Reno's fingers. "I can tell." He felt like a deer in headlights. On one hand, Reno was an awful attractive man who was very obviously attracted back. On the other hand, Reno was just that: a man. Sam had never really been interested in men. Sure, he appreciated beauty, but... On the other other hand, this was Rudy's HUSBAND. His little brother's husband.

"Ever heard of a hall pass, Sammy?" Rude broke out the childhood nickname, his tone teasing. He nodded to Reno, indicating that the redhead could continue.

Reno did just that.. . those nimble fingers had Sam out of his shorts faster than words could speak. ..soon all thoughts of just WHO and What Reno was would be flushed from Sam's mind by the feel of a soft, lush-lipped, and very talented mouth.

If Sam's eyes could get any wider, they would have. His mouth fell open, only a tiny whimpering sound coming from it. He was torn between looking down and watching himself disappear into the beautiful redhead, or watch his brother orchestrating this... this... whatever it was. "You've... you've been in Midgar too long, Rudy," he managed to gasp out of his suddenly dry mouth.

Rude shrugged. Whether it was the city itself or the redheaded product of its streets, Rude found the sight rather... nice, to put it gently. To put it bluntly? Fucking hot.

Reno's eyes rolled back as he tried to shrug his way out of the shorts while not letting go of the tasty bit in his mouth. .. he took Sam down into his throat, the muscles making a swallowing motion and twicthing around the head as his tongue seemingly did an acrobatic move to wrap itself fully around the failry impressive shaft. he then pulled up and slammed the cock back into his throat again, tongue moving but not letting go.

Sam couldn't breathe. He couldn't. It felt as if his eyes were going to explode out of his head. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Bob... if Reno only did THAT with Rudy, he could see why his brother kept the redhead around. All he could do was grip the sand tightly and hang on for dear life.

Rude shifted closer, then closer still. His sunglasses hid his eyes from his brother, but he could tell Sam was getting a little uncomfortable with his ever closening presense.

Reno moaned. .able to feel the older man twiitching inside his mouth. ..he nipped gently, then bobbed up and down again, letting teeth scrape lightly as he moved, his fingers finding Sam's balls, kneading gently while he supported himself on his other arm.

Before Sam could push either of them away, Rude moved quickly, claiming his elder's lips with his own, swallowing down the cry of ecstacy as Sam released into Reno's mouth.

Reno swallowed down every drop, the muscles of his back and ass twitching as he he kneeled fully, his own arousal now quite obvious.

Rude slid away, releasing Sam's lips with a last lick to the upper and lower one.

"Ru-Rudolph!" There it was. The full name. Sam's voice was rather high pitched, almost to the point of hysteria. "You... and he... and... Jesus Christ... and... but... you're my brother... and... and in-law... and... fuck..."

Reno was groaning both names, wiggling his hips, he was PAINFULLY hard...hearing the moans and cries coming from his brother in law had been so extremely hot

Rude inched closer until he could breathe in Sam's ear. "Samuel," he said, voice holding a very slight, almost imperceivable sing-song to it. "I think he wants you to kiss him."

Sam jumped at Rude's words and the feeling of his brother's breath on his strangely sensitive ear.

"He's begging you, Sammy," Rude whispered again, painfully hard himself.

Reno took the initative, siezing Sam's lips himself while his ass wiggled quite becomingly in front of Rude. ..

Rude slid himself behind Reno, an arm wrapping around the redhead's chest to pull him flush against himself as Sam pulled himself almost frantically away.

"Reno!" Sam protested, panting, but not moving any further away. His eyes were wide as he took in his brother and his brother-in-law.

"Sammy," Rude's voice held that mild sing-song to it again. "You're not going to leave him like this, are you?" He brushed as much sand as he could off one hand, sliding it carefully down Reno's back and into his shorts. "See?" he asked, using a single finger to tease at Reno's entrance.

Reno let out a sound half-gasp half moan as his cheeks grew pink with heat...his muscles giving another twitch and with a sllight hitch that finger slid inside, eliciting another whimpering mewl. . .he was absolutely on fire.

There was no thought between Rude's words and Sam's action. He leaned forward, claiming Reno's lips as if he would consume him.

Rude slipped another finger into Reno, scissoring his fingers slightly.

Reno was moaning loudly into Sam's mouth, pushing back and forth onto Rude's fingers, he felt. .Gods, he had no idea how to even describe it, his brain was completely gone, he couldn't have cared less who was here right now, his entire body buzzing as if with electricity. .. .his eyes at half mast he wanted, NO NEEDED, more. ..he released his lips from Sam's only long enough to say "Take me...Gods, take me."

Rude's hands were quick, sliding Reno's board shorts down just enough to press himself into the redhead, slowly... so slowly. It was a delightful agony.

Sam's hands unconsciously went to Reno's face, holding the redhead there to be thoroughly kissed. God, that mouth... No matter where it was it felt absolutely WONDERFUL.

Reno was gasping. ..moaning ...shivering...he was so thoroughly on fire he had no ida even which way was up or down. ..his eyes rolling back into his skull with each thrust that drove his tounge deeper into Sam's mouth.

Sam's hands slid into Reno's hair, pulling slightly as he grasped the red spikes. Good god, was he getting hard again?

Rude wasn't worrying about waiting for, well, anything. He began quickly and efficiently thrusting into Reno, making sure to aim for that spot inside him at least 2 out of 3 times.

Reno's head tilted back as more soft mewling moans echoed from him, his pulse could be easily seen in the arteries at his throat...thud..thud-thud...thud.. occasionally skipping beats as the pleasure grew so intense it was almost sharp, almost cutting. ..his legs trembling as he fought to hold himself onto his knees. ..his whole body had become the same soft pink as his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, sweat dripping softly from his face as those elegant features contorted into a grimace of absolute lust-fire. ..his eyes screwed tight shut...cock weeping and seeking a friction he could not provide for himself due to needing both hands just to stay up.

Rude's hand was quick, shooting up to pull Sam's from the redhead's hair. "Here," he growled, setting his elder brother's hand on Reno's arousal. He saw Sam's eyes get wide, and interpreted correctly. "Just like you've done to yourself," he guided, helping to wrap Sam's hand around Reno and helping with the first few strokes.

Reno's breathing grew ragged. ..he was shaking all over...no way in HELL could he find a voice right now, if there was one way to shut the lithe redhaired Turk up it was to debauch him to the point where his brain shut off. ..and the two brothers were doing just that. ..all he could do was ride the tide of delirious passion out just as he'd ridden the waves earlier that day. ..limbs shivering like a newborn cuahl's. ..lips parting and forming a pert "o" of amazement. ..eyes sliding and then screwing shut.. ..his body rocking between the two.

Rude was fairly certain both Reno and Sam could hear his jaw pop as his mouth opened wide, a soundless scream from his throat as he released himself inside Reno.

Sam couldn't take his eyes away from where his hand connected with Reno's flesh. It was almost as if he were in a dream, a surreal world where nothing was what it seemed.

Reno did let out a loud, ringing cry as his body stiffened, then rocked. ... limbs spasming with the force of the climax as he sprayed Sam's hand. ..his eyes fluttering as his body tried to decide whether to simply shut down or not.

Rude pulled himself from Reno's still slightly spasming body, bending his neck to press featherlight kisses to his shoulders.

Sam blinked. He blinked again. He raised his hand, looking at the warm liquid covering it.

Shit. .shit yo. ..need. .need ta get cleaned up. .'salmost 2. ."

Sam?" Rude asked, his tone inquiring as to the okay-ness of his brother.

Sam, however, wasn't paying any attention to either of them. He looked at his hand, turning it over again and again... before sticking out his tongue to touch the fluid there. It was... salty. And not nearly as bitter as his past girlfriends had claimed.

Reno stood, on still rather shaky limbs, heading back toward the house, hoping they hadn't been seen. . .they had an hour before they were supposed to meet Tseng and Rufus to get their suits fitted, and he needed to clean up.

Sam's pupils were wide as he looked up at Rude. "Rudy?" he asked, his voice sounding small.

"Come on, Sam," Rude said, helping his brother stand. "We need to get cleaned up."

Reno turned back, taking Sam's other arm, the three of them beginning to make their way back. ..he just hoped he hadn't scarred the elder Urar child for life.

Sam was not being hystarical. He wasn't. He would not let this bother him. It was just him and two other guys 'enjoying' each other's company. So what if it was his brother and his brother's husband? He whimpered just a little.

"It's okay, Sammy," Rude whispered in his brother's ear. "There's nothing wrong... or dirty... or bad about anything... Really."

Reno whispered an apology...sometimes when the reptilian part of his brain took over it got him in trouble.

"No... NO!" Sam said, breaking away from the two to turn and face them. "It's... it's not you, Reno... it's just that..." He reached out his sticky hand towards Rude.

"It's me," Rude stated plainly. He knew that was going to be the problem.

"Still was me that instigated it. .an'.. ah shit. ..

"No, no, Reno..." Sam's sticky hand went through his hair, and he grimaced once he realized what he'd done. "It's not your fault... I... I was a willing participant and... well..."

Rude was silent. He really didn't know what to do when people started freaking out.

"Tell ya what, let's just go in, an' get cleaned up, an' we'll deal with it after the wedding rehearsel, Tseng'll have my ass if I don't get to it." He turned to add "And not in the PLEASENT way"

Sam nodded, falling as silent as his younger sibling. The fact that the splooge in his hair was making it stand even more straight up didn't seem to bother him. He could feel a Lady Macbeth moment coming later that evening.

Rude nodded, choosing not to touch his brother, but instead to just walk towards the house, surfboards under his arms.

Reno just hopes to God Eric didn't see that or none of them would hear the end of it.

"Well, isn't this convenient?" Eric muttered to himself from behind a rather large, conveniently placed bush. He waved a Polaroid picture in the air, waiting for it to finish developing like the others. Blackmail, anyone?

"Come on," Rude said, holding the door open when they got back to the house. "You take the shower first, Sam." It was the least he could do.

"Thanks," the eldest Urar said, his face strangely white.

Reno's senses suddenly buzzed as he caught a flash of dark hair in a nearby bush, he nodded in that direction, then looked at Rude.

Rude was far too concerned about Sam to worry about whatever Reno saw in the bush. Whatever it was, it could wait.

Reno shrugged, headed inside.. .just hoping it wasn't who he'd thought it was...and that it didn't explode in their faces later...of course he could dive into the bush and beat the person senseless, but Sam was main priority at the moment.

After Sam had shut the bathroom door, Rude just stood outside of it, staring at the door as if it would solve all of his problems.

Reno was shaky, nigh on to freaking himself as he resisted the urge to beat his head into the wall. ..Stupid. ..stupid. .stupid.. .the chant took itself up in his head.

Sam, meanwhile, had turned the water to its hottest setting, scrubbing at his skin as tears he didn't realize were falling dripped down his nose. Out, damn spot. Out, I say.

"I was so STUPID! I egged it on.. .SHIT!"

"Reno!" Rude barked, turning to face his partner. "What's done is..." he sighed. "Done. Sam will... he'll just have to come to terms with it. And we," he made sure to catch Reno's eyes for that part. "We will make sure it doesn't happen again."

Reno nodded, but his jaw tightened. .."I thought I saw Eric outside...what. ..what if he saw that. ..? shit. ..:

Eric chose that moment to step out of his bedroom at the end of the hallway. He took one look at the pair of Turks, then tsked. "You two aren't fucking in the shower again, are you?"

"No, we aren't, this time we have to get ready, we have a rehearsal to get to.

Eric snorted. "Rehersal? For what? A fucking queer ass ballet recital?"

Rude spoke evenly, his tone implying that he was NOT in the mood. "Fuck off, Eric."

"Wedding rehearsal, got a problem with that, jackass?"

"Who's getting married? More of your queer little butt buddies?" Eric was on a roll.

Reno had both fists curled...about ready to bust Eric's face. ..he dove the kid finally.pinning him down with added strength from his fury. "It's the leader of the Turks wedding if you must know. .and if he heard you call him queer, you'd likely be dead." ..

"Reno!" Rude barked. He was moving before he even realized it. Regardless of how much he disliked his little brother, Eric was just that. And his instincts told him to protect the twerp, even from his husband. Rude's hands landed on Reno's shoulders, pulling the redhead off Eric with ease.

Reno gave Rude a sharp look. ..one that said he was more pissed off than anyone could imagine, and stormed outside. ..

Until he found a photo stuck to his chest. ..one that caused his face to go sheet white. ..

Eric laughed, the sound hollow. "Thanks, bro."

Rude picked Eric up by his shoulders, half pushing, half throwing the boy towards the end of the hallway. "Don't fucking talk to him anymore." It was a command, one that didn't allow for any dissent from anyone.

"Rude.. ." he called softly. ..anger gone, replaced by shock.

"Not. Now." Rude's voice told of his barely held back anger. He was tired. Tired of Eric always causing trouble. Tired of Reno's ability to be goaded so easily into a pointless fight. Tired of trying to figure out how to deal with Sam's sudden shutting out of everyone. Tired of a lot of things. 


	23. Chapter 23

Gladys had heard it all. ..every word. ..she looked at Rude and ssaid "You, stay right there." before heading off after Eric "ERIC!" she chased her younger son down. "Those words are not acceptable in my home. Is that understood? You are SO lucky your brother pulled his husband off, I would have let him beat you, you deserve it."

"Mo-om!" Eric protested, trying to shake off the woman's grip. "Just because you think what they're doing is all right and beautiful and shit DOESN'T mean it is! Do you have any idea what Rude was DOING on the beach?" He held up a pair of Polaroids... but he was smart enough to leave most of them hidden in his room.

Rude had stood there, placing his hands on the door frame and just trying to calm himself down. He paused in his thoughts, wondering what was taking Sam so long.

"So they shared the man. ..but Dammit, Eric, Rude obviously loves him, and whatever problems you have with him, I suggest you solve thme. You've deserved a beating from that boy ever since he came. ..and if I may let you in on a little secret..the other party in that marriage is the Shinra company director. .now, go to his face and tell HIM it's wrong. I'd love to see how many holes in you you come back with." Gladys of course had seen the two from the grocer's as they'd first come into town, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure the looks between the head of the Turks and his employer out.

"Didn't you see this?" Eric continued his protest, holding up the second picture in front of his mother's face. It was the image of Rude very needily making out with Sam. "Do you know who those are, Momma? Those are your two SONS. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. You know what they call that? Incest, Momma!"

Rude was completely ignoring the arguement between his mother and his younger brother. He was still too worried about Sam. "Reno," he said softly, voice still holding a hint of that buried rage beneath it. "I need you to check on him." He moved away from the door to let the redhead past.

Reno nodded, but he still clutched the one photo he had. . .he knew what he had to lose.

"So they KISSED Eric, they didn't go any further or you'd be showing photos of THAT. I'm sure hes learned his lesson, but YOU NEVER DO!"

Meanwhile Reno knocked on the door. "Sam. ..come on, talk to me. .please. ." his voice held a hint of desperation.

Eric knew he'd reached a lost cause with his mother. She was far too open minded anyway. His father however... He spun on his heel, walking away from her and towards the garage. And if that didn't work, he had one last avenue...

Rude's back his the hallway wall across from the door. He slid down until he was sitting on the hardwood floor, hands to his face as he just sat there and breathed.

In the shower, Sam's skin was tomato red. He barely heard the voice that came in over the waterfall of the shower. "Who's there?" he asked, his voice shaking just a tad.

Gladys grabbed him, whirling him around." No you don't. .I want them, Eric. .every last photo. ..now." her voice brooked no dissension, "Or I swear to Shiva, you are OUT of my home.. .now."

"'sme, Sam. .Reno. .c'n I come in, please? I know what you're feelin' yo.. believe me I do."

It wouldn't have been the first time his mother had kicked him out... and he was fairly certain he'd be taken back in once 'hard times' hit again. It was the way it always was. Besides, he could stand living with one of his buddies for a few days. He tossed the pictures over his shoulder with an, "I'm outta here."

"I'm..." Sam started, standing up quickly and knocking a couple shampoo bottles off the side of the tub as he did so. "I'm almost done. Sorry I was taking so long."

"Don't come back, Eric. .until you've decided to grow up."

"Sam. ..I know what you were doin', I used ta do it too. ..you wanna feel clean..but no amount o'washin' will do it."

Eric waved a hand over his shoulder. She'd calm down eventually. And once Rude was gone back to wherever he was living, he'd be back in her good graces in no time. Especially since the middle child almost never called or dropped in anymore.

"No!" The Sammy doth protest too much. "I'm fine. Really." A nervous chuckle came from the shower.

Reno finally just picked the lock on the bathroom door...walking in. ..he still trembled a bit from the feelings he was picking up from Rude. He hoped he'd be able to fix this, but somehow he doubted it..he'd call Elena once this crisis with Sam was over. ..for now, he gave Same a towel and basically HAULED him out. "Jeeze, Sam. ..you're beet red!"

Sam shook like a newborn fawn trying to walk. "Really," he said, voice shaking as much as he did as he tried to dry himself off but keep himself covered at the same time. It wasn't working so well. "I'm okay, Reno. You don't have to worry about me."

"I do, yo, I've been through this. ..shit!"

All the air in Sam's lungs left him as he plopped onto the floor, sitting in the middle of the shaggy blue bath mat. His knees were up to his chin and his arms were wrapped around his legs, effectively making a ball out of himself. "You don't understand..." he said very quietly.

"I do, yo...my dad.. well.. " he blushed lightly.. not sure how to broach this.

"No," Sam protested, still not looking at Reno. "You don't. It's..." he paused, taking a deep breath them letting it back out. "Rudy's never brought home a... a man. I mean, there was that one kid when we lived in Midgar, but we all thought they were just really close friends, ya know? God, they were all beautiful... the girls he brought home. All curves in the right places, soft and just..." A hand went through his hair. "There was more than a couple times I wanted to take them from him... we weren't always that close, ya know... But they were his, and it wasn't that I couldn't find pretty girls of my own..."

"Rude..well I love him, you know. .I know I drive him crazy sometimes. .." he stopped a second, gathering his thoughts. "He never really was into guys before. ..an' really. .I'm still not sure how WE happened. ..but he was willin' with you...Sam...he LOVES you as a big brother..it's real obvious, yo..he's..well, he's posessive, ya know.. .he doesn't share often, so when he does.. .consider it a gift."

Both of Sam's hands went to his head as if he could use them to stop the thoughts running through his mind. His towel fell, leaving him sitting there in all his glory. "When Dad and I walked in and I saw you it was... I was shocked. I mean, I never expected Rudy to come home with a guy! Let alone a guy that looked so... so..." He couldn't say it. He couldn't. "And married!" That hysterical edge was back to his voice. "My twerpy little brother Rudy not only bagged himself the hottest guy I'd ever seen, but he bagged him permanently! And... and... I don't DO guys, Reno. I like my partners to have different equipment from me. But..."

"I don' understand it either, Sam..I don't get what people see in me.. I was. ." and his voice lowered. "I was a whore, Sam...an' the guy who owned me is gone, but that doesn't mean I feel clean, yo. ..or that I understand it...I had Rufus fuckin' Shinra yo. .. he wanted me, made me feel good, yeah. ..but. ..unworthy." Tears formed at the corners of his eyes. "I'm not worthy o'all tthis.. an' I just know I'm gonna fuck it up. ..if I haven't already...an' I'm sorry if I messed you up. I..after what my life was like, bein' messed up an' scarred is a burden I wouldn't wanna lay on ANYBODY."

"And that's the not the worst of it!" Sam cried, standing and somewhat stalking towards Reno as if he were the last person on earth. "Do you have any idea how good my brother looks over you?" he asked, a tiny hint of venom in his tone, his blantant nudity not even present in his mind. "He's really grown up a lot from the tall, skinny kid I grew up with. He's bulked out... man, you Turks get the best training..." Sam grasped onto Reno's shoulders as if the redhead could save him from drowning. "Just seeing him, fucking you... god, it was so fucking hot I could have BURST." His voice took on that desperate edge to it. "And it wasn't just watching you that was hot..."

Sudden understanding dawned. "The kiss.. ah, shit, Sam.. . I'm not freaked out, yo, not bit..just.. .you're as scared of fuckin' shit up with your folks as I am. ..you're so lucky sam. ..you have no idea HOW fucking lucky you are...just bein' here.. even with that twerp little brother o' yours...it's like a fuckin' dream...I .. .I never had a family really, Sam...Dad was a drunk, n' used ta hit Marcia an' Mom an' I all the time. .. do you know how fucking GOOD it felt for your dad to call me son? to be fucking accepted?" The first of the tears fell, he wasn't like this normally, no, not one bit, but this family had caled to something deep within he had thought long dead.

"And you think you're a freak for likin' it.. .you ain't, yo. .it's natural normal human nature to wanna be next ta somethin' beautiful...Gods know. ..I wanna be next to your brother forever."

"My parents?" Sam was nearing hysterical again. "I don't CARE about my fucking parents." He was on a roll again. "I'm a SOLDIER, Reno, a fucking SOLDIER. I have a REPUTATION to keep. SOLDIERs don't go home and want to fuck their brothers!" If he was thinking clearly, Sam would have realized that his fingers were going to leave bruises on Reno's skin. "And," Sam's pitch was getting higher. "It wasn't just that I wanted--still want to--fuck you, Reno... I wanted... WANT to BE you!"

Reno was shaken in Sam's grasp like a rag doll, but it didn't seem to bother him. "That's just it, Sam.. .I wanted ta be you...I want this.. I want what you have..just like you want what I have, 'cept I can't lose Rude.. .I csan't n'..." He was babbling.. but he didn't know what else to say...so he just hugged Sam and held on for all he was worth.

Sam's knees went out from under him. He collapsed under his own weight... and the weight of his albatross. Tears poured from his eyes, the first in... he couldn't remember how many years. He finally managed to whisper, "I think I see now what you see in Rudy..."

"He's a good man.. he's had my back n' saved my life more timesn' I can count. .an' he loves me despite the stupid shit I do.. .but right now...I'm s'scared I'm gonna fuck shit up n' drive him away.. .I really fucked up this time."

Sam didn't say anything. He couldn't. If he did... he was bound to mess things up even more. Because if he mentioned even slightly what the proximity of Reno's warm body and the thoughts of how much his Rudy had grown were threatening to do to him... He was liable to embarass himself and possibly make the situation even worse.

"'cause Sam... you're pretty damn hot too.. .and the way you felt...it meant more'n just.. oh shit.. I'm fuckin it up too.. I'm so damn confused!" he let out the smallest mewl before starting to pull himself away from Sam before he said something to make a mess of things.

The eldest Urar boy didn't let the redhead get far. He pulled him close, just holding Reno against his chest. He shushed him, a noise that sounded surprisingly like the one Rude usually used to calm Reno down. "Please..." Sam asked, not entirely sure just what he was asking for.

Reno wanted to lean against him, he did, but he felt such a traitor.. . he didn't want to hurt Rude, and he knew..if he let himself feel what ihs heart wanted so desperatly to, he would. .."Sam.. no.. .I..I can't do this.. I love him..and it'd hurt him and fuck shit up even more.." and he tore himself away. walking right past Rude and out the door, his eyes leaking the whole way.

The cry that tore from Sam's throat sounded like that of a wounded, cornered animal. He pounded his fists on the floor, evidence that Rude's temper was a genetic Urar trait shared by all the boys.

Rude moved quickly into the bathroom, checking Sam for any injuries.

"Rudy... please..." the elder man whimpered.

Rude knew that the Mako SOLDIERs were injected with messed with the brain's chemistry, and he knew that Sam was the absolute most stable of anyone in his family... other than his mother. But Sam was having a breakdown. He... he needed to stay and help him. "Stay right here, Sammy," Rude said, tone worried. "I'll be right back." He had to go after Reno.

Reno had found the stairway down to the beach...he'd wandered out into the water without even realizing it...he'd just started walking...walking...without even knowing where he was going until he suddenly realized where he was and that there was no more ground under his feet. After his experience with that nasty riptide that morning he was partially afraid to try to come back in, so he froze...was Renomessed up by the whole situation? Oh, no. ...

Rude couldn't see Reno anywhere around the house. He pulled his phone from his pocket, hoping against hope that the redhead had his phone on him.

his phone rang from inside the pocket of the shirt he'd been intelligent enough to don, and he picked it up, a shaky greeting coming from him.

"Where are you?" was all Rude could spit out.

"I'm ..Gods, not even sure I just started walking. ..but I'm out in the middle o' the water an' I'm sorta stuck out here..."

"Keep your phone on." With that Rude hung up and opened the tracking program on his phone. There. Reno wasn't really that far away at all. He was... where they'd been surfing earlier.

Reno stood out in the middle of the water with his arms around himself, tears drying on his cheeks. . .he was so lost and confused and how the HELL did he relay to his still obviously angry husband why he felt like he did without making an even huger mess of things?

Rude made it there rather quickly. Yes, he did have to make sure Reno was okay, but then he had to get back to Sam. He wasn't sure anyone else in the house was... he couldn't think of a better word than 'able' to help Sam. "Reno!" he called when he saw the shock of red hair in the water.

Reno launched himself at Rude...he was frightened, confused, and felt like he was about to lose everything that meant anything to him.. all he oculd do was whisper "I'm so sorry" over and over again.

Rude was shaking. Not uncontrollably, but just enough for anyone who knew him to know he was on his last leg. "It's okay," he whispered into Reno's hair, petting the red tresses. "It's okay..." He did that for as long as he could before stepped back, breaking Reno's hold on him. "I..." he couldn't look the redhead in the eye. "I need you to apologize to the President for me." He had made his decision... as hard as it was. Reno or Sam? Sam or Reno? He could only help one at a time... and Sam, who'd never had a breakdown in his life, needed him more... he thought. "I'm sorry... I love you." With that, he let Reno go and walked quickly back towards the house.

with that Reno nodded, taking out his phone, callin Rufus and speaking in hushed tones, explaining the situation without giving any more information than he had to. "Yeah...we got a family situation here..we'll be there as soon as we can, boss."

with a surprising amount of control he walked back inside.. slapping his hand across his eyes to wipe away thenew ones forming.. .waiting for Rufus' response while he walked up the beach and back toward the house.

"Family situation?" Rufus asked. He knew that, whatever it was, it was very important, but he also knew that if Reno was the one calling... "Where is Rude?" He hit the nail right on the head.

"He's tryin' ta calm things down." He knew his own voice was still fairly shaky... "It's just gone off the deep end sir.. .we're both really sorry, it..it just sorta happened."

"Calm things down?" Rufus' face scrunched up a little in confusion. "What happened, Reno? Exactly."

Reno explained the whole situation on thhe beach..his own heart breaking all over again, while he tried his damndest to control his vocal chords so Rufus wouldn't hear he was close to tears again..."An' now sam's freaked, Rude's pissed off at me. ..an'.. I just don't know how ta fix it without fucking it up even more."

Rufus highly doubted that Rude was pissed off at Reno, but the redhead wouldn't have believed him even if he said it. So he didn't. "I want you to call me as soon as anything changes." It was an order.

"Yes, sir."

And as he walked back in he couldn't meet Sam's eyes or Rude's without feeling like utter shit, so he just sat down on the sofa in the living room looking as if he wanted to simply sink into it. .shit, he just needed desperatly needed someon on the outside of the situation who had a clear head right now...someone he could tell everything that he felt to without them getting freaked or angry.

Rude had managed to get Sam coherent enough to sit at the kitchen table, dressed, for the most part, in a pair of worn jean shorts and a tanktop. He stood behind him, facing in the direction of the living room, his arms draped over his brother's shoulders in an almost sad manner.

Reno just looked up, then down again, he KNEW he was partly to blame for this, and he really did feel like utter shit. ...he had no idea what to say to make things better, he felt like just crying and freaking himself, but he didn't have him in it to do so now...

Rude felt Sam twitch a little under his arms when Reno looked at them. Rude had just picked his brother up off the bathroom floor where he'd left him, quieting his pleas for something Rude was sure Sammy didn't even know. He managed to get him dressed and send Momma out for a bottle of good Costan Tequila, telling her that it was 'business' that had Sam acting the way he was.

Reno then curled his arms around his knees, rolling himself into as small a ball as he possibly could.. .the fights with the remnants..hell even the argument in Midgar felt like pinpricks compared to how his heart hurt right now.

"I need to talk to him," Rude whispered in Sam's ear. "Stay here." His last two words were spoken as a command, Rude's voice dropping maybe a little harsher than it needed to. He saw his brother stiffen, that impeccible SOLDIER training causing his body to react to the command before his brain had time to process it. It was that same training Rude was counting on to help his brother make it through this. He walked slowly towards Reno, standing over him for a moment before speaking. "Hi."

Reno looked up "Hey.." What else could he say? 'hey, yeah,. I feel something for your brother an' I like it?' Hell no, he knew if he did he'd hurt someone he never wanted to, not ever...his throat closed up after the greeting, choked behind a huge lump of emotion.

A tiny, almost imperceivable smile touched the corner of Rude's mouth. He glanced back once at Sam, still sitting there, still following orders like a good little SOLDIER. Making sure to catch Reno's eyes, he tilted his head in the direction of the next room... Momma's sitting room.

Reno nodded, getting up, he still wasn't sure what to say or think. .he just walked over to it. obeying the nod as he would any other order, verbal or otherwise.

Rude followed, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it, posture betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Sam told me somethings..." he started.

Reno curled up even more.. here it was.. the other shoe just about to drop and hit him right in the back of the head. "What.. things?" his tone was guarded.

"I want your side of the story," Rude stated plainly. Amazing how well he could hide behind his sunglasses like that.

"I.. I don't wanna fuck thing s up. ..an'. ." he looks down now, eyes beginning to well just a bit. .shit. .. he hadn't cried his whole life as much as he had today. "I like him some, too. ..but I don't wanna hurt you...an' I know if I let it happen I would.. .so..I tore myself away an' walked out before it could. ..go too far."

"You wanted him..." Rude said, paused, then continued. "Still want him?" Still nothing, no indication of his true feelings on the matter. Just that cold, stoic Turk that he showed to everyone.

Reno nodded, very shamefaced...he could feel how tense Rude was right now.. .as if if he said the wrong thing right now his control would snap and he'd go apeshit. "But I don't know how much of it is wanting HIM. ..and how much of it is wanting..ALL of this.. .shit yo.. .I love 'em. .I love 'em all.. .but they. ..aren't..MINE!" He punctuated each word with a punch to the cushion of the chair he sat in.

"Momma'll have your hide if you break her chair," Rude said, as if they were just having a normal conversation. However, he'd managed to get to, what he thought, was the heart of the matter. He stood there in thought for a moment, then raised his left hand, making sure the glint of metal caught Reno's eye. "I thought this said differently."

He nodded again. "I know. .it's.. .it's hard ta explain, yo. .I feel so accepted, but parta me keeps wonderin' when I'm gonna do somethin' ..just like I did today. ..ta royally fuck things up."

"Sam's..." Rude didn't know how to put it right. "He's got a thing for redheads." Rude didn't know how to explain it exactly... he'd understood what Sam'd told him, but explaining it to Reno was something else entirely. Reno didn't have a lifetime of learning Sam's little nonverbal clues behind him. That and he wasn't sure how much of his place it was to divulge on Sam's past love life.

"Kinda like you do. .."Again, more bits come to light. "But he also has a thing about not touchin' what belongs ta someone else, 'specially yours. . .so he's not feelin' too horribly hot. ..'ause he wants me 'smuch as I did him. ..an'. ..ah, fuck, this really is a fucked up situation."

Rude said the most enlightening thing he could. "Yeah. It is."

"Well, how do we fix it? Or CAN we even fix it. ..? If I fuck this up...I don't know what I'll do, Rude...this is the first time I've known what a real family feels like. ..I don't wanna lose this..."

"Sam's never broken up with a girl," Rude finally said softly. "He's always the one that gets dumped." There was that, then there was... "And he's never been very good at picking the nice ones..."

"An' what I did. ..'cause I'm loyal..ah, shit, Rude..fuck...I can't do anything. ..fuck, I hate this!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Rude asked plainly. He'd already come to terms with what he felt he had to do about Sam's... sudden attraction to him... something Rude would bear all the guilt for, leaving nothing for Sam to feel guilty about.

"I don'tknow. .I've never dealt with anything like this before. .You and the boss are the only serious relationships I've ever had, yo. .."

"You need to do something," Rude said, his voice as if he were speaking not to his partner, his husband, but to a stranger who sought him out for counsel. "I know what I have to do... but I can't tell you how to fix your end."

"I can't give in..'cause it's wrong. ..but at the same time. .Rude..if I asked for one more hall pass. .just him an' I by ourselves...do you think it would help him get it out of his system? I mean. ..I don't wanna get involved, I CAN'T let myself get emotionally involved, 'cause it's not right.. .but I'm hoping maybe if he can get it outta his system it may get us ALL outta this somewhat unscathed."

A smile finally broke Rude's face. "My thoughts exactly." He kept it hidden that, the one other time, before Reno, that he'd had an issue like this... it hadn't turned out well for any of them. Maybe that's why Eric and Lucy... Nevermind.

Reno nodded, for ONCE his instincts had led him right in a situation he was not used to dealing with. ..he walked out to Sam now, lifting his chin. "Hey. ..I got..permission for one more hall pass yo...the venue's your choice."

Sam blinked. "Reno?" he asked, sounding almost like he was a little lost. Which he kind of felt like he was. "But Rudy said..." he gestured slightly with his hands, indicating that he was just following orders by sitting there.

Reno looked back for confirmation from Rude before saying anymore.

Rude nodded once, then turned to face the other direction. He wasn't sure why he was hearing the faintest sound of bells in his ears, but he certainly hoped it was not he for whom those bells were tolling.

"That enough confirmation, yo?"

"Yes." One could almost hear the 'sir' that had almost made its way out Sam's mouth. But Reno was not his superior... and technically, neither was Rudy, he supposed. But it just felt... safer to trust his younger brother's judgement in all this. A tiny voice in his head asked how things had gotten quite that fucked up.

"you pick the place..an we'll go, ok?" with that he dropped a gentle kiss on Sam's forehead. .something he'd discovered helped calm Rude when he was troubled.

Sam nodded, not speaking, but just taking Reno's hand and leading him towards the stairs. His room would probably be best, he thought.

Reno followed very simply. .hoping he was doing the right thing. ..and pushing the thought of emotional attachment out of his mind.

Sam opened the door, gesturing Reno in first. When he closed the door behind them, he paused. "I..." he started, laughing a little nervously. "I've never really done this before... Don't, ah... know the protocol and such..."

"'sokay, yo. ..I'm actually kinda nervous too. ..past experience aside. .I. ." he swallowed nervously...then sat on the bed. ..unconsciously beginning to slide the tee-shirt and his shorts off, for some reason when he leaned back he felt incredibly exposed...which was odd because he'd never had a problem with someone catching him naked before.

"So, you ah... you've done this before?" Sam asked. Oh yeah, making conversation. So going to fix that little fixation in his head. He found that he was nervously playing with the bottom edge of his tank top.

"Not..like this, yo. ..I mean..yeah, I was sellin' m'self before I became a Turk, it was that're starve, and starving wasn't an option. .." Great. ..let's make conversation with THAT little tidbit. ..good going Reno.

"Oh." Yeah, real intelligent conversation there Sammy-boy. The nervous laugh bubbled up again, and he refused to look at the naked Reno on his bed. "So... I guess, I... um... should probably take this off, huh?" He tugged at the bottom of his shirt.

"Yeah..." He suddenly had the urge to cross his arms in front of his chest. .and felt shame at all of his scars. ..especially the roughened one underneath his cock that ran fron just below the glans all the way to the bit of sensitive skin where it joned with his sac that Rude had obviously noted but never asked about. What would Sam think of him when he saw and felt all of those scars? There was barely an inch of flesh that had not been scathed in one form or another over the course of his life.

Sam tossed his tank top on the foot of the bed, then busied his hands with nervously playing with the button on his jean shorts. He was staring at his feet. "Um..." he mumbled. Where was that passion from earlier? Where was that need, that desire to possess?

Reno figured it had probably been swallowed when the reptile went back to sleep and his brain had begun to hinge back into place. "I won't force it if ya don't want it, ya know. ..I guess. ..I wanted to get this out of our systems. ..so things could go back ta normal..if ya don't. ..just tell me. ."

Sam wrung his hands together. "No, I DO want this..." he said, taking a step away from the door and towards the bed. "It's just..." Something was missing... different... "You're not... the same... as you were on the beach." There. That was it.

"I'm.. .nervous. .." He nodded. ."Let me tell ya a secret Sam. ..I'm not..someone who's had a lot of experience with real relationships. ..Rufus was my first. ..lasted 7 months. ..an' your brother was my second. ..an' more'n likely m'last. ..but with him. ..he makes me feel. ..Gods. ..it's so hard ta describe. . .he makes me feel like I AM worthy. .."

There was that nervous laugh again. "You mean you've only been with two... people?" Sam asked. He obviously misunderstood and he sat carefully on the very edge of the foot of the bed.

"I was a whore, Sam, I've slept with plenty.. but m'heart's only every been. .well. .with those two. .an' shit. ..it's. . " he had no idea how to say it. "I have been asked why I threw the pres over for Rude..." he chuckled now.

"And?" Reno had peaked a little of Sam's natural curiousity.

"'scause o'who he is. ..we know each other...inside n' out. . .not only in the bedroom but outta it..we're partners, Sam. ..in every sensea the word. ..yeah I got my moments when I read him wrong, happens even ta the best. ..but for the most part, it takes only a look or a touch and one o'us knows what the other wants."

"Rudy is pretty special..." Sam said, looking down at his feet.

"He's Mi Corazon..." The Costan words coming off his tounge made him flush a bit. "He's about spoiled me for anyone else."

Sam looked up at Reno, finally meeting the redhead's eyes with a slight hint of a smile. "¿usted habla Costan?" he asked, wondering if Reno was taught to speak as many languages as Rudy had been when he joined the Turks.

"Piquena." He responded with a smile. .in truth. ..very little "And mosta what I do know would make ya blush..like I could tell ya in Costan what I thhinka your brother, but I don't wanna insult yer mom, she's cool."

A real laugh, not a nervous one, fell from Sam's lips. "I'm sure Momma's said worse," he said, leaning in conspiritorily. "Tell me, amante de mi herman0"

"Hijo de la Puta. .." he laughed for real now. .. "Gods, I hate that asshole."

"Does Rudy know that's what you think of him?" Sam teased.

"not Rude. ..Eric.. as for Rude knowing. .I've never said it to him. ..I've never called him. .Mi Corazon...though he is... How is it you have one who's so damn good. .while the other is such a bastard?"

"Eric wasn't always that bad..." Sam said thoughtfully, leaning back on the bed, propping himself up with his hands. "And Rudy wasn't always the barrel of sunshine he is today."

"I know he usedta run. .I usedta be a mule for the Barons, I seen him around a few times before I was recruited, even though he didn't know THEN that it was me."

"Not just that," Sam said. "We all knew about that. I... tried to get him out of it... but I'm just glad he realized how bad it was for himself. Now if only Eric would do the same..." Sam shook his head. "But yeah, Rudy wasn't the most well behaved child... a bit of a hellion actually."

"He saved my life once ya know. .before. ..I was maybe alla 11 1/2...before. .well before the man who had me bought me. ..I got cornered by a buncha kids that didn't lke me taken over their business because I was so quick an' agile and had never been caught while delivering their junk. ..the oldes one was 16. ..He had a knife. .had me pinned against a wall and used a knife ta carve up my cheeks under botha my eyes. ..he was gonna make an examplea me. ..first the cheekls. .then he was gonna pop out my eyes an' then cut my tongue out and slit m'throat an' leave me there. ..Rude happened ta be goin' by. .he chased the kids off an' treated the slashes on m'cheeks. .."

Sam frowned. "Rudy said he saved a little girl that was being mugged by some kids from school." That was the incident that started his brother's turn from delinquent to productive member of society.

"He didn't wantcha ta know, I guess..how bad it was. .ut if he hadn't been there, I'da been another statistic. ..just another dead street kid."

Sam just nodded, not saying another word.

Reno sat up, hugging Sam. .who would be able to feel the scarring across his chest. .each one had stories to tell. .but the ones he'd had tattooed under his cheeks.. the story he'd told Sam.. .was special to him.

Sam returned the hug, but found himself pressing a stray lock of red hair between his finger and thumb behind Reno's back.

He leans into him now. .instead of the firey wildcat he'd been earlier. ..this Reno was gentler, open and honestly heartfelt.

Sam's free hand trailed lightly up and down Reno's lower spine. He wasn't intentionally trying to move things along, but he could feel that slight change in the air.

"Sam. .I.. if I told you. .you took a little piece of me this morning. ..would you be upset. ..? you did. .but. .I can't afford to get deeply involved. ." he shudders. "it wouldn't be fair to any of us.

"I... I know..." he said brokenly. "I think... It WOULD be better if there was just... just this... nothing more. You're... Rudy needs you. He might not say it... but I can see it." He pulled away slightly to look into Reno's eyes. "I... Whatever you're willing to give me... I can be happy with... I think."

Reno nodded, giving him one last kiss that was tender...and maybe a little sad. ..seeming to memorize the feel of that mouth . .it was a lot like Rude's. ..but different. ..the kiss felt a lot like goodbye.. .and as he broke away he said "We cool now? I. ..I don't wanna mess up things with the resta your family. ..I never had a real family before... "

A small part of Sam was protesting how that was all he would get to remember Reno's passion by. And that small part finally found its way to his mouth. "Can I... would you mind if I..." he couldn't find the words to ask.

Reno nodded gently. ..he was still nervous a little. ..but it had a different feel to it. ..sort of. ..mournful.

Sam rested his lips against Reno's. He didn't so much kiss him as just... shared breath with him.

Reno sighed into his mouth, giving him. .anything he wanted...yes, the flavor was different...more subdued. .gentle. ..tender. ..a itny salty droplet hitting sam's mouth. ..then he quashed the overwhelming urge to weep and simply closed his eyes. ..letting the fleeting feeling of connection carry him for a moment.

Unknown to both men in the room, Rude quietly came upstairs and leaned gently against the doorframe, just listening to the noises coming from the room.

Sam could feel the beginnings of a fire pooling low in his abdomen. It wasn't the same overwhelming, all consuming passion from the beach... but it was... warm... safe, almost. He pressed his tongue questioningly into Reno's mouth. "Is this what a last meal tastes like?" he thought he said in his head, but in actuality said outloud.

"Yeah. ..I think so. ..this. ..this hasta be it. .I can't let it go further. ..'cause Rude's Mi Corazon. ..he always will be. ..an' I can't lose that, ya know? I can't betray that.. ."

Sam froze. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I didn't mean to make it so hard for you..." his voice was so small.

"'sokay.. .shit happens, ya know. ..an' we all got caught up in the moment n' didn't think about the repercussions o' the whole thing. .. but we gotta get our heads on straight, yo. ..we gotta. .. we got a lot ta lose here."

"I'm not going to force you into something you don't want just because of... me."

"you ok with. .just this yo? I'd feel wrong. ..betraying him."

Sam sighed. "I can be..." he pulled away, reaching for his discarded shirt. Suddenly, Reno's nudity was making him a little uncomfortable.

Reno shuddered as he drew back up, siezing his lips into a soft kiss. .."Sam. ..I know. ..this is what you want. ..I'm giving you. ..this couple of hours...but after that. .it hasta end. .got it?"

"I'm not forcing you into something you don't want." Guilt was fading into Sam's face.

Reno got up then. ..beginning to draw his shorts and shirt back on. ..he was beginning to feel guilty too. .."Will it.. ever be the same again? It felt good.. .havin' an older brother figure ya know. ..without all the damn complications 'causea my dumb mistake."

"Why?" Sam asked, then immediately wished he could take it back. "I mean... just... tell me why it happened. Please?"

"I don't know, yo...my reptile brain took over n'...I do dumb shit when that happens."

"Reptile brain?" Sam asked. He didn't think Reno was part lizard... but with the way he'd heard that crazy ShinRa scientist... Hojo, was it?... could be... it wouldn't surprise him.

"I mean the part o mah brain that makes me think with my dick. ..insteada being smart."

Sam laughed that nervous laugh again. "Happen often?" he asked, somewhat casually. His big brother senses were tingling, and if it happened often with Reno... he might have to have a talk with Rudy.

"Nah...just.. happened here for some reason. ..with you. ..been hurt too damn much for it ta make many appearances outsidea bein' with Rude. Unless ya count it makin' me aggressive and doin' stupid shit that way..that DOES happen a lot."

"Good," Sam said, running a hand gently through Reno's hair. "So... where does that put us?"

"Somewhat adjusted version of bros?" 


	24. Chapter 24

"I... I guess..." Sam said absently. How did things get so fucked up in the past... how many days had it been since Rudy showed up with the redhead?

Reno just held him. ..it was all he could do without betraying vows he'd made.. .ones he took quite seriously, despite how flippant he'd been about promises in the past. "I'm sorry. ..really really sorry I let things go so far, yo. ..it was. ..just something born of being glad to have somethin' I never had. ..joy of being alive. ..these past several months ha'been pretty hellish."

An almost rueful laugh burst from Sam's mouth. "I can relate."

"I'll tell mine if you tell yours, yo. .."

"I'm a SOLDIER, Reno. Between Sephiroth, and Meteor, and the whole Geostigma thing... I was kept pretty busy," Sam mentioned.

"shit.. .I was still in midgar for Meteor. ..things got. ..really messy." And he relates to sam the argument that had occured. ..lowering his head, his voice quieting when he told of the resulting breakdown. .his dash from the apartment. "Livewire's with Ruufus in the hotel. ..didn't know how your mom would feel 'bout havin' a cuahl in her house. ..even if he does listen for the most part."

"Rudy let you have a cuahl?" Sam's eyes showed more shock than his words. "He... Rudy doesn't like cats that much..."

"Well,. he sorta..." and he blushes, he did NOT want to relate the events at Corneo's if he could help it. "Thinks I'm his mate."

"WHAT?" Jesus, Rudy HAD been in Midgar too long. Just what didn't they do out there in the big city? "Mate? How... what...?" Sam's hand shot out and went through his short hair. "Do I even want to know? Does Rudy know?"

"He was there. .." finally. .he just comes out with it. ..the years with Corneo. .his capture. ..the events that took place there."

"Jesus, Reno..." It was all Sam could say after that heartfelt admission.

"Yeah, 'swhat he said too. ..or pretty close. ..cat saved my ass during Meteor. ..let me tell ya. .never want to see your brother outta control like that again."

"Rudy always did have a temper..." Sam could remember when they were smaller, Rude was always the first one to start throwing things... like temper tantrums. Watching the transformation from out of control child to reserved adult had been, in a word, enlightening.

"Yeah. ...guess so. ..but hell, he's had m'back so many times." Then he told of their wedding. .and cracked up when he told about the events at the reception. "I thought for sure Rude's jaw was gonna break right off.

Sam laughed as well. "Wish I could've been there."

"Man, I'm still not sure how drunk the boss got that night. .." He chuckles." Man's got no tolerance anyway."

"Would've thought different of the President," Sam mentioned offhandedly. He paused for a moment, sighing. Guess we're going to have to go out there and face the music sometime, eh?"

"Yeah... though I have a feelin' he's glad we didn't. ..ya know."

Sam wasn't going to comment on that. He, just like his brother, was a master at self-deception. Where do you think Rude learned it? Besides, the less Sam thought about the... transgressions of earlier, the better he felt.

Reno opened the door. ..finding Rude outside he barely met his husband's eyes a bright flush coming to his cheeks. ..even though THIS time he'd done nothing wrong. .he headed back down the stairs to the living room, then scuttled into the kitchen to see if there was any coffee left.

Rude would go after Reno in a minute. First... He looked to Sam, who still sat on the bed as if caught with his hand in the cookie jar. When his elder brother caught his eye, Rude muttered only two words. "We cool?"

Sam nodded once, replying with, "We cool."

Reno sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand. .shivering as if it was freezing, even though everyone knew Costa never got below 60, even in the dead of winter.

Rude took the steps downstairs carefully. He wasn't mad at either of them... he was just expecting things to work out a little different. Not that their understanding had been a bad thing... but Sam did have this nasty habit of not being able to keep secrets while intoxicated. And Rude was fairly certain several of the things Reno'd mentioned would be best kept out of the light of day.

Reno just looked up at him, then back into his coffee cup. . .he wasn't sure WHAT to say at this point. ..except "Couldn't go through with it yo. ..kept seein' your disappointed and hurt expression as I came up the stairs. .an' just couldn't."

Rude nodded, a grunt leaving his lips. He went about getting his own cup of coffee. He'd preferred something stronger, but he'd have to wait until Momma got back with the Costan tequila for that.

The slender redhead's body still trembled as he looked at the coffee in his cup as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. ..so many thoughts whirling through his head. ..he wasn't sure where to start to sort them all out.

Rude sat across from Reno, taking a sip of his coffee before speaking. "What are you shaking for?" It seemed the best place to start to him.

"Just. ..shit. .so much I don't understand for. ..an'. .I thought. .Hell, don't even know what I thought. .. what the HELL was I doing. .." in truth...it was simply aftermath of the entire thing. .. "I was. .just. ..hell. " for once he's at a COMPLETE loss for words. ..but his eyes would speak clearly of how afraid he'd been that the past couple of days actions were going to destroy everything he had.

Rude nodded, taking another sip of his coffee. "And?" It was best to just let Reno get it all out before he said anything substantial.

"I thought. .after the mess with Sam. .and jumping Eric. .it HURT when ya pulled him off me, ya knnow.. kid deserved to get his ass kicked. I had in my head a fight like we'd had back at the condo. ..I know. ..what another fight like that would do to. ..well, what we have."

"Eric is my brother," Rude said. Best to start with the easier one first. "Regardless of how much I don't like him most days... he is still my little brother." It was the best explaination he had for his actions.

"He's also a conceited little brat. ..ya know. ..what part of our vows mean, right. ..'Leave your family. ..cleave until the one to whom you make those vows. .' I guess. ..that's why it shocked me... funny thing is. .it wasn't the slam against us that pissed me off. .. it's what he said about Tseng an' the boss that made me mad." he chuckled. "I guess. .'scause they deserve some happiness, too. Their lives have been total suck as much as ours have been of late."

"My family is my family... and they always will be. I wish I could make you understand that." Rude took another sip of his coffee. "And as for the President and Tseng... they are both more than capable of fighting their own battles... and I'm certain my brother's words wouldn't be more than water off their backs in the grand scheme of things."

He nods. ..but he'd always had a protective streak for his ex-lover, not something unusual really, despite the nasty breakup. ..Reno was nothing if not unfailingly loyal.

"We should call them," Rude said. "Tell them our problems have been... resolved."

"Yeah. ..let's get this shit underway, yo. ..got a rehersal to get done. .tomorrow a wedding. ..let's see if we can get THIS off with no more problems, yo."

Why, oh why, was Rude not looking forward to this? Why did he have a bad feeling? Remember what happened with his last bad feeling? Yeah. With a nod, he tossed his phone to Reno.

"Boss. .problem solved. ..we're on our way . ..be there in twenty." His voice didn't betray his feelings in the least now, something for which he was glad. Control. ..well some form of it anyway. ..something else he'd learned from the man to whom he'd pledged his life.

Rude nodded, then finished his coffee. After rinsing out the mug, he walked upstairs to put on his suit. As much as he liked the ability to dress in his native attire, a meeting with the President required the respect inherent in his suit.

Reno went upstairs and did the same. .and. .shock of shocks, he'd buttoned himself all the way up. ..and was that a TIE?

Rude didn't say a word, just raised his eyebrow. Reno was not the sort to get all dolled up for... well... anything. It was an interesting change of pace, and maybe even a little disconcerting.

"Figure might as well get used ta bein' constricted. ..considerin' we'll be in TUXES tomorrow."

A small chuckle left Rude. Once he was presentable, he gestured to the door in a 'shall we?' motion.

Reno nodded, following him out, renewing their bond with a gentle arm across his back.

And that was that. Problems solved, issues became non-issues, and all was right with the world. Rude loved how things sometimes just worked out perfect without them needing to break some heads. Not that breaking heads wasn't fun, but... yeah.

Reno of course got knocked over as soon as he entered the hotel room, not just by one of the large cats, but by both of them "Well. ..looks like a couple o' you are happy ta see me anyway. .." he chuckles as he stands up, petting both of them, Livewire whimpering and winding his way around Reno's legs. "Yeah, yeah. ..I'm ok, boy. .." He looks at Rufus as if to say he knew it couldn't have been easy having the big cat there when he seemed to have an eerie ability to pick up his master's emotions even when Reno wasn't around.

Rude managed to dodge the piles of flying fur and Reno. He stepped into the room, nodding once at Tseng and the President. "Sir," he said.

"I trust everything has worked itself out, gentlemen?" Rufus asked, smiling slightly at the cuahls' antics.

"Yes sir." He finally manages to get the two cats off him so he can answer,

"Excellent," Rufus' smile grew. "The tailor will be here shortly for the measurements. If you two would be so kind as to strip."

Rude's eyes widened. What? Strip?

Reno grins. "Well, yeah..they need ta have exact measurements, ya know. " He however was nervous about stripping. ..Rufus had seen him nude. ..Tseng had not. He did however do so. .. biting his lip a bit as he uncovered himself, but he managed to keep himself from blushing at stripping in front of the one he'd once had a crush on.

Rude's gaze dropped to the floor as he slowly removed his clothing. He'd noticed how quickly Reno had removed his own clothing, and Rude made it all the way to just his socks and boxers before he heard something. A laugh. A loud laugh. His eyes shot up and locked on Rufus'.

"I..." Rufus couldn't stop laughing. "I didn't quite mean that much, gentlemen. I meant just the jackets, ties and shirts."

Reno this time does blush, redonning the required items, still biting his lip. ..

Rude can't help the words that fall from his lips as he pulled his pants back on. "You. Are. Evil."

Rufus continued chuckling. "Yes, yes I am."

Reno's skin is still bright red everywhere that isn't covered.

Rufus' eyebrow raised. Reno was still blushing? The most flamboyant, most comfotable with his body Turk was blushing over something as trivial as nudity? "Reno?" he asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah.. I'd. . ." and he whispered "Never been. ..that undressed in fronta Tseng before." And there it was. ..the boyhood crush he'd had was suddenly there, out in the light for all to see.

Tseng chuckled lightly, turning to look out the window. He'd heard Reno's words, but, in a gesture of good will, he'd chosen not to acknowledge them. Besides, it was always nice to hear that you were still turning heads at his age.

Rude, for all of his hangups about being underdressed in front of the President, was taking his current state of shirtlessness rather well... other than the whole thing about the room being rather too chilly for his liking. He could've cut glass standing there.  
Michael TW Kelley: Finally the tomato red died back to a slight pink and he rdaped an arm over Rude's shirtless shoulder, inhaling his scent. .finally Livewire seemed to calm, padding over into a corner to sit next to Dark Nation, the two nudging noses, as if they were conspiring about something.  
midnight12181: A knock at the door made Rude jump slightly. Ah, the tailor.

"Enter," Rufus said, moving himself to sit on the foot of the bed.  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno stands, fnally relaxing his arms as the tailor begins to cluck over him...at least a few days at Gladys' had STARTED to put him back at normal fighting weight.  
Michael TW Kelley: poke  
midnight12181: Rude took note of every rib that stuck out, knowing that after a few more weeks of his Momma's cooking, Reno might actually get a little bit of the love handles going on.  
Michael TW Kelley: Ah yes. .part of his self-consciousness there. ..he HATED being so blastedly skinny because he had the metabolism of a hampster which meant the tiniest disruption in his eating patterns sent his weight plummeting. too much fighting in too short a time. ..most definately had done it. ..as the tailor finally has all the measurements he shrugs his shirt back on.  
midnight12181: Rude stood, patiently waiting while his measurements were taken, lifting his arms when asked. He noted, absently, that the tailor's fingers were like ice.  
Michael TW Kelley: "So.. I take it rule one applies as it does for any mission. ..no getting wasted prior to the ceremony and preferably not at the reception either?" He chuckles...the last time one of them had been drunk at a wedding reception had turned out messy.  
midnight12181: "No drinking at the ceremony," Tseng stated, certain that Rufus would agree with him. "However, at the reception..." His face pinked just a tinge as he remembered how smashed he and the President were at their Turks' nuptuals.

Rude smiled. Yes, the last wedding reception they attended for one of the officers in the accounting department HAD turned out... interesting. At least they didn't have to shell out for additional entertainment, what with the drunken, stripping Reno on the dancefloor.  
Michael TW Kelley: RENO suddenly pinked remembering that. . .one of the secretaries had grabed his package and things had gone decidedly downhill from there as he'd half-run, half-stumbled off the floor and out of the building completely nude. .. he hadn't been anymore comfortable with being groped by total strangers then any more than he was now.  
midnight12181: The tailor stood from where he knelt on the floor, ignored by the other men in the room. He cleared his throat, announcing, "I will have these completed by morning." before taking his leave.  
Michael TW Kelley: "Thank you , sir." Reno gulped as he buried that memory DEEP. ..where he felt it belonged. He'd never been so embarrassed in his life.  
mi Rufus glanced over at Tseng for a moment, then walked over to his soon to be husband. He took the older man's hand in his own, then turned to Reno and Rude. "Do you two have plans for dinner?"

"Not as yet sir. Got too busy sorting everything else out. .. hadn't even thought about it."

"My mother was expecting us," Rude pointed out, tone almost as if he were afraid he was going to get into trouble for mentioning that they had other plans.

"That's right," Rufus said with a smile. "Your family has been putting you two up, haven't they?"

"Yes sir, his mother's a good woman." He left it at that, though the suddenly softened expression told of how grateful he was for Rude's family not only ACCEPTING him, but for his mother defending him against her own son.

Rufus smiled again. "Do you think she would have room at her table for two more, just tonight?"

Rude's jaw hit the floor.

"Have to ask her, but I'm sure she would." he mentally added 'Especially since Mr Bitch is no longer in the house.'

"Rude, if you would be so kind," Rufus prompted.

Rude managed to pick his jaw up off the floor. Of all the things... this was NOT a good idea, even with Eric supposedly gone. He nodded mechanically, then left the room, dialing his mother's number on his phone.

Gladys picked up "Hello, Rudy, did you get the suits fitted?" She smiled softly over the phone, though he couldn't see it, she did not question however if he ahd worked things out. .since he was not calling from the house that was obvious.

"Would it be all right if a couple more guests came by for dinner tonight, Momma?" Rude asked. He felt like he was 12 again, asking if he could stay the night at a friend's house.

"Of course, dear, there's always enough in the oven for a few more. .oh, and we're having paeilla and tortillas tonight, along with the shredded seasoned chicken you love." she chuckled "As well as the chocolate silk pie EVERYONE seems to love.

Rude had to stop himself from drooling over the phone. His mother did know how to cook. "Thanks, Momma," Rude said. "When's dinner?"

"In 90 minutes. .Sam seems less upset, he's having a shot of the tequila now."

Good. There was at least that. "Okay, we'll be there in an hour." Rude hung his phone up, then walked back into the room. "Dinner's in an hour and a half. We need to be there in an hour."

Reno nods. .something hitching at the back of hisbrain about maybe something going wrong too. . .he's just not sure WHAT.

Rufus smiled. "Excellent. Now," he paused. "Is there anything we need to know about meeting your family, Rude? Any strange customs, habits?"

Rude tried to think. "Nothing... out of the ordinary." He wasn't sure he was the right one to ask. He did grow up with those customs and habits, after all.

"Only if you count bratty brothers, but he's not there."

Rude kept his mouth shut about the possibility that Eric could still show up that evening and cause trouble. Best not to get the redhead riled up if it wasn't necessary.

Tseng wrapped an arm over Rufus' shoulder, suddenly for some reason warming up more in front of his men than he normally would. . ."Let's go, then. .." he spoke opnly those three words as he straightened his jacket and made sure his tie was one straight, as well as making sure the tie that held back his long ebon hair from face was firmly in place.

Rude redressed himself, making sure he was at his most presentable in front of his employer. It was going to be an interesting night, to say the least.

Reno tipped his emr onto his shoulder, one he'd FINALLY gotten back from Rude's mother, and that normal tic he had of the weapon tapping against the shoulder bone began. .perhaps a bit faster than normal, showing his agitation.

"How far of a walk is it?" Rufus asked, buttoning up his white jacket and gesturing towards the door.

"Not far," Rude replied, noting silently that none of them really needed to be wearing that much clothing in the Costan sun.

"Then we shall walk," Rufus replied, offering his arm to Tseng so they could walk together.

Tseng nodded, taking his arm with a slight smile, since all of the madness that had happened, the two had loosened up signigantly, something almost dying was likely responsible for.

Reno walked next to Rude, his emr still tapping against his shoulder. ..he didn't know why he was so nervous, just that he was.

"Stop that," Rude admonished gently. He did not need Reno's agitation adding to his own.

Reno stopped the tapping, but there were still other subtle signs that he KNEW the other shoe just HAD to drop.

When they reached the cul de sac, Rude nodded towards his family's house. He supposed it was his house, too, but he still considered it his family's. "My mother can be a little... overbearning," he warned as they walked up the porch steps.

Tseng simply shook his head, his own mother had been the same during his youth.

Gladys opened the door and immediatly. "Oh Lord...is it really! Mr Shinra, I am HONORED to have you as a guest in my home. ..my oh, my aren't you just so HANDSOME. ..and is THIS the lucky one who managed to snare you? My, he is a handsome one, too. ..Wutain? and of royal blood at that." she stepped back to let the two by her with a big smile.

Reno suddenly thought about it a minute, how a normal citizen would react to having one of the most powerful men in the world as a guest. ..for him. .well, Rufus despite being his boss was just Rufus to him.

Rude could feel a headache starting.

Rufus smiled charmingly. Leave it to him to turn the charm on Rude's mother. "Thank you, ma'am," he said, turning to take her hand and place a tiny kiss on the back of her hand. "You seem to already know my name, and this," he gestured. "is Tseng, my Captain of the Turks"  
Michael TW Kelley: Tseng nodded. Noting that the woman had noticed the bindi marking him as being a distaff member of the royal family, he lofted a brow. This woman was quite observant, probably where her son had picked it up.

"Well, coome in, have some coffee, or tequila if you prefer." Gladys blushed a bit at the hand kiss. "No need to be so formal here, we're just country folk for the most part, friendly."

Reno watched the door, as if he expected the brat to come through it at any moment.

As they entered the kitchen, Rude noted that Sam was leaning against the counter and looking worlds better. He nodded to his brother, fairly certain that his mother would take care of the introductions. She was proper like that, most times.

Rufus laughed, the sound like honey on silk. Oh yes, he was all charm that evening. "Save the tequila for later. However, coffee would be lovely."

The house phone then rang. Sam, being the closest to it, picked it up. After a moment, he looked over to his mother. "It's Dad, Momma."

Reno suddenly had the feeling of his heart dropping into his belly. . .the other shoe. ..he was sure it had just dropped...damn his foolish decisions, damn Eric and his constant it seemed need to stir unwanted trouble. Somehow he knew. ..Eric had told his father.

Gladys took the phone from Sam, she knew somehow what was coming, and she was prepared.

"Gladys!" Bernard's voice could be heard throughout the entire room over the phone. The man didn't seem to know that you didn't need to yell to be heard on a cell phone. "Send Rudolph's..." one could almost hear the man fighting to find the right word. "Send the redhead out here. I need a hand with Cecille."

Rude breathed a sigh of relief, both for his father's request and for his not being the poor sucker that had to go out there and help him.

"Cecille?" Rufus questioned. He wasn't aware that Rude had a sister...

"His car." Reno did his damndest to hide the shudder. ..he KNEW what was coming, and he wasn't sure he was preapred for it. ..oh. ..he hoped to GOD it was just the car and not one of those "father-son" chats. ..those never tended to end too well for him. "I'm comin' hold your pants on."

"Son," Bernard said as Reno entered the garage. "Getting ready to put these new brake lines on, and I need your help bleeding the old ones." Without waiting for Reno to comply, the older man was already climbing under the front of the elevated classic car.

Reno nodded, helping to bleed the lines. ..cursing as one busts in his hand, soaking him in brake fluid.. ."Dammit, dammit. ..shit's hot. .." he wiped the fluid off his hand and began succking the burnt fingers. Was Reno nervous? No. ...

"Get yourself sick before dinner an' Gladys'll have your hide," Bernard said offhandedly. He tossed a few rags over to Reno, not speaking for a few minutes before. "Wife tells me Eric's left again. You know anything about it?"

Reno blanched. .."Yes, sir. ." those eyes somehow would not allow him to lie.. .but how in the world to tell him? This man's acceptance meant so much to him.

Bernard grunted a little, wrenching free a particularly stuck bolt. "She tells me you and Eric were feudin'." He paused again, chewing on the screwdriver he held in his mouth almost absently in thought. "Now, I know my youngest isn't the most friendly... but remember, he's my youngest boy. And if you're going to be part of this family, son, you're going to have to learn to get along."

"Yes sir. .it's just. ..he said something particularly offensive about the boss, sir. .and I'm pretty protective of Mr. Shinra for reasons aside from him being my employer that I am noyt at liberty to divulge."

The screwdriver clanked as it his the floor. Bernard's head popped out from under the car to look at Reno. "I don't care WHY you two are feudin'. I just want you both to knock it off before I have to make Gladys turn you over her knee again." With that, his head went back under the car and he went back to working on it.

"Yes sir." and now. ..he is doubly glad. .it seemed Bernard hadnt't seen any of the photos. ..

"Done." Bernard pulled himself out from under the car. "Now, go get yourself cleaned up. Gladys'll have my hide if you show up to dinner looking like a grease monkey." Bernard gave Reno one of his rare smiles, an honest, appreciative one.

Reno nods, seeming to BASK in it. ..then headed in, getting into the shower, really fast, more washing himself up and getting rid of the grease than anything else..again thanking all the Gods that those photos were gone.

To say Rude wasn't curious would be a lie. However, since Reno came back into the house in a seemingly better mood than he'd left, he figured Dad probably just wanted to 'bond' some more.

"Mr. Urar, I presume?" Rufus said as Bernard walked in. At the first part, Rude stiffened slightly before remembering that yes, his father was called that as well.

"Bernard," the older man corrected as he went over towards the sink to wash up. "And you are...?"

"Rufus ShinRa," the blonde replied with a smile. "And this is Tseng." He gestured to his lover.  
Michael TW Kelley: Tseng nodded, bowing in the respectful way he had as Reno came downstairs, clean. ..his hair retied, the ends still the tiniest bit damp.

He whispers to Rude"He smiled at me, yo. .it's. ..wow." his voice sounded the tiniest tinge awed.  
midnight12181: Rude had to hold back a chuckle. Instead, he just put his arm around Reno's waist and waited for them to be shooed off to the dinner table.

"Pleasure," Bernard said, and without thinking, he pulled his still half-dirty hand from under the faucet and offered it to the President.

Not one to be rude, and enjoying the 'down home' feeling of the area, Rufus shook the older man's hand, getting a few spots of grease on the edge of his white jacket. He wasn't concerned, though. He had nothing but respect for those men who could work well with their hands.  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno scuttled into the dining room, seeing the look Gladys was giving them.  
midnight12181: Rude gestured towards the dining room. "Sir," he said.

Rufus nodded to Rude, then walked into the dining room. He took the seat to the right of Reno.

Tseng took the seat on the other side. .reaching over and taking Rufus' hand under the table.

Reno simply sat down, trying to stay up straight. ..not wanting to feel like sinking into his chair, he didn't feel awkward around the ones here anymore, but if Eric showed up it was going to be difficult.

Rude watched as Sam sat down on the free side of Tseng. He'd always wondered why his mother insisted on round tables instead of square, but now he could sort of see why. He watched as Bernard took his spot, leaving only the single chair left for his mother. There was no room for Eric, even if he did show up.

Gladys came out with the last two bowls, sitting at her place and motioning Bernard to remove the towel from the tortillas, she had of course covered them to keep them hot. ..she'd also made a ham because there were "city folk who may find Costan food a bit spicy for their taste" coming, she motioned Bernard to carve that, too, smiling as she got up to go into the kitchen one more time, bringing out a huge pitcher of ice tea and one of fresh lemonade.

"Is dinner always such a delightful feast?" Rufus asked Rude. And here he thought Costan cooking was just what he'd had when he was travelling in the area: spicy yet rather bland.

Rude just smiled. He remembered why he sometimes missed the Momma cooked meals when he lived in Midgar.

Gladys smiled "Of course. . .it's not often my son brings the object of his affections home anymore." She didn't add it was for good reason. ..her younger son tended to try to steal anyone Rude brought home. ..which was why he and Reno didn't get along. .wrong Gender, but still Rude's. .therefore the conflicting emotions in the kid that came out as irritation with Reno.

"You most certainly didn't have to put all this together for us," Rufus said, that damn charming smile still on his face. "However, we are very appreciative that you did."

Sam chirped up as Gladys went back into the kitchen for something. "Can you grab my hot sauce please, Momma?" He grew his own hot peppers in his mother's small garden at the back of the property, and with them, he made his own hot sauce. Rude wouldn't touch the stuff, claiming you needed an iron stomach to just smell it.

Reno however did take two drops of it on his chicken... and instantly regretted it. ..his throat siezing up from the heat of it, and he LOVED spicy food. .. he was gasping just trying to get in a full breath for several long moments.

Sam and Bernard laughed heartily, the sound indicating that they were, indeed, father and son.

Rude, on the other hand, just smiled, patting Reno lightly on the back and offering his glass of lemonade as a suppliment to Reno's drink

Reno downed it, his throat finally reopening. ..he shot glares at father and son while trying to maintain his dignity.. .he swore he even heard his boss and Tseng laughing quietly.

Rude stood, refilling his and everyone else who needed its glass. Ah yes, leave it to Sam to try and kill Reno with food.

"A bit too hot for you, son?" Bernard asked between hearty laughs.

"Just a bit" he gasped out. "Didn't know it was THAT hot. ..'slike someone bottled a fire spell."

"There's a reason they're called Costan sunflare peppers. And if you can taste it, there's a hint of the Wutan red dragons in there, too," Sam explained.

"I might be able to taste once my mouth stops burning. .."

"Do you mind if I try some?" Rufus asked with a smile.

"Sir... I mean no disrespect, but are you insane?" Rude asked, eyes wide. "There's a reason Sammy calls it his 'Insanity Sauce'."

Reno gives a "be my guest, if you want to look undignified." gesture

Rufus took a small droplet from the bottle onto his finger. He smelled it, his eyes already starting to water.

"Are you sure you want to do that, sir?" Rude asked.

"Yes, yes," Rufus said, finally sucking it up and placing the drop on his tongue. He sat there for a moment, waiting.  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno waits for the expression of "Oh my GOD it's hot" that is sure to come any moment.

"Slow burn?" Rufus asked, but he didn't have to wait for the answer. Slowly, as if rolling over him like an ocean wave, the heat rose. He could feel himself getting warmer. He gestured delicately towards the tortilla shells.

Reno handed him one, doing his damndest not to bust out laughing. ...Rufus' face was getting redder by the second.

Rufus had the presence of mind to fold the shell in half, then in half again, then again, until it was small enough to fit the entire thing into his mouth. Once he reached that point, the fire was evident from the sweat coming from his brow. He shoved the tortilla into his mouth, chewing as dignified as he could.

Tseng was not so lucky. .he let out a surprisingly hearty chortle. ..passing him a glass of lemonade to wash it down with.

"You," Rufus coughed. "You should try it, Tseng." There was a gleam in the President's eye. "I think you'll find it rather," another cough, "enlightening."

Tseng not only tried it. ..he kept a straight face the entire time. ..the only sign of how hot it was a slight flush. ..he was the kid who used to eat dragon peppers on a dare.

"Tseng," Rufus said, finally catching his breath. "You are not human."

"I am perfectly human sir, I am simply used to eating raw Wutain Red Dragons." He smirked.

"Nobody asked you to be smart, Tseng," Rufus pouted.

Rude, Bernard and Sam were all too busy laughing to comment.

Reno finally could hold back the laughter no longer. ."If. ." he spoke between gales of laughter. "You could only see your face sir."

"Nobody asked you either, Reno," Rufus continued to pout.

Reno finally calmed down. ..and the rest of dinner seemed to go on without incident. ..he was waiting. ..wondering when the shoe was going to drop.

Once dinner was completed, Rude stood to help his mother clean off the table.

"Dinner was lovely, ma'am," Rufus said, that charming smile returning. "Far better than the usual fare when we travel."

Gladys bows "You are quite welcome Mr. Shinra. This is actually fairly normal for when my Rudy is home."

He held back. Really he did. There was a 'Mo-om...' on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to hold it back... unless you looked at his face.

Reno chuckled. .he knew that look, it had been directed at him more than once when he said something dumb.

"You boys stayin' here tonight?" Bernard asked. He stood, walking over towards the china cabinet in the corner. He opened it, pulling out a small wooden humidor. He carried it over to the table, offering a cigar to all the men.

Tseng looked at Rufus "I'm not sure if that would be wise, sir. ..Reno and Rufus both have pet cuahls back at the hotel that tend to get into trouble if left unspervised too long."

"Yes, they do," Rufus said, taking the offered cigar with a grace born from his position. He pulled out a cigar cutter, clipping the end of the fine smelling tobacco. "We do not need another shredding incident with Dark Nation."

Reno sniggered "Or a pregnant Darkie. .." remembers the incident where Rufus had chased him with his shotgun.

Bernard raised an eyebrow as he struck a match to light his cigar. "Rudolph lets you have a cat?" he asked Reno.

"It was an accidental acquisition, . .Livewire don't give him much of a choice" He left it at that.

Bernard took a thoughtful puff from his cigar... and left it at that also. He was not a prying man, nor was he a gossip, like his wife.

Reno also sat back, letting the nicotine calm him. ..wondering when things were going to go wrong, he shot Rude a glance that said as much.

Rude prepared and lit his own cigar, shrugging back at Reno.

"What type of vehicle are you helping Bernard restore out there, Reno?" Rufus asked, steering the silence into conversation like he was so good at doing.

"Shinra motorworks Silver Ghost. ..it's BEAUTIFUL, yo..." He was as enthusiastic about the car as Bernard. Who knew the kid was a car nut?

Rufus raised an eyebrow. Certainly he was unaware of such a trait in the redhead. "Silver Ghost...? I am unfamiliar with that make..." Rufus, while not a car nut, was rather familiar with, at least, what his father's company manufactured.

"From before you were born. ..why don't you come out and take a look, yo?"

Bernard laughed, reaching into his pocket. "Let him listen to her, too, son," he said, tossing the keys to the car to Reno.

Rufus kept his look of surprise to himself. He knew that Reno had this uncanny ability to get in good with just about anyone, but from what he could tell Bernard didn't let people in on a whim... especially with his -- what was her name? -- Cecille.

Reno caught the keys. ..leading him out into the garage. ..the car sat, freshly washed and gleaming. .the pearlescent silver paint shiny. "This. ..is Cecille. ..beautiful ain't she?"

Rufus nodded, holding his hand about an inch away from the actual car, but letting it glide over the curves. It was a beautiful piece of machinery. After a moment, he paused. "You seem to have found yourself a family, Reno," he said, tone indicating that he was truly sincere, not mocking in the least. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks yo. .I feel. ..really accepted here. I just hope Eric doesn't come back with any more of those damn photos. ..I really don't want to lose all this."

"Eric?" Rufus asked. He'd been spared the gore details before. "Photos?"

Reno suddenly flushed. "Eric. ..took photos of us on the beach, sir."

Rufus poked his head under the hood, looking at the intricate engine. "I don't see how photos could present a problem, Reno."

"If his dad saw, sir. ..he'd. ..flip." And that was his fear. . .Bernard's reaction to the content of those photos. ..not just the threesome in and of itself, but the kiss. . .finally, he breaks down...and tels him about that bit.. "That's why he'd flip sir. .it would destroy not only my relationship with Rude's old man, but do a fair amount of damage to his."

"I see," Rufus said, still looking over the vehicle as if it were the most interesting thing in the garage. "And what caused this incestous incident to occur? Especially since something like it had never, to my knowledge, occured before with either him or his SOLDIER brother?"

"Heat of the moment, I'm guessing. .." It was all he could imagine bringing it about.

"There was no instigation by another party to bring this about?" Rufus was really pushing it there. But, he needed to know, just in case he was the poor unfortunate soul who had to play damage control.

Reno gulped...and then admitted. "I. .sorta did, sir. ..not intentionally mind you. ..but you know me. ..when I get in that state.. I'm damn near impossible to control." Rufus had first hand knowledge of the fact.

Yes, Rufus did. Finally, he looked at Reno. "I will have Tseng contact one of our operatives here in Costa for some... damage control." He paused. "However, if I do this very personal favour for you, you must do two things for me."

"Yes sir.'

"First, Rude must never find out. And I mean never, Reno," Rufus said. "Were he to find out we sent a little muscle after his brother behind his back..." He left it at that.

"He'd be fairly pissed. ..understood sir."

"Good," Rufus said, pausing in his speech to admire the work Reno and Bernard had just completed earlier.

"And what else, sir?" The onyl times Rufus name had ever left his lips, well. ..they were long ago.

"That one I will hold on to until a future date." It was delightfully ambigious, and basically meant that the next time the President asked him for a favour, Reno would be obliged to do it.

"Yes sir. ." He sighs, looking out now. ..he hated how his own actions when he was THAT aroused usually came back to bite him in the ass.

"Consider your problems..." Rufus paused, taking a last look at the vehicle before walking towards the garage door. "... solved."

He nodded. then went into the car and cranked the engine. ..it purred.

Rufus tilted his head back, just listening to the sound of a perfectly running ShinRa engine. Beautiful.

"Ya wanna ride, if he says it's ok? I'd hafta ask.. but I'm sure he'd be ok with it. .." Yes, reno definately had a way of getting on the good side of MOST people. .an almost indefinable charm.

A slow smile crossed Rufus' lips. "That would be... lovely."

Reno dials his cell to the house line, asking for Bernard. "Hey, ya mind if I take the boss for a quick spin around the block?"

Bernard paused for a moment, then his voice boomed over the phone. "Just be easy on her."

"Will do sir." He climbed into the car after opening door for Rufus. .that engine still purred like a kitten as he pulled her out of the garage. it felt like heaven under his hands and feet. "Shi-at. .this is one sweet piece of metal."

Rufus just leaned back in the seat, feeling the warm hum of the machine underneath them.

They rode around the block, and got back unmolested, except some old lady who flipped them off because Reno laid on the horn after she cut him off. He was on his best behavior.

"Beautiful," Rufus said appreciatively. "Now... I do believe we should rescue Tseng and Rude from the clutches of Rude's delightful family."

"Yes sir. ..and rescue Dark Nation before Livewire gets an untoward ideas." He chuckled again. "I'd hate you ta actually HAVE ta shoot him, sir."

Rufus chuckled as well. "Dark Nation does not need to be a mother any time soon."

He parks, and back into the house they go. .he finds Rude and sets his head on his chest, looking much more peaceful

Rude frowned for a moment, then sighed at Reno's touch. Whatever it was that was bothering his redhead, the President seemed to have given him calm.

"My dearest Gladys," Rufus said, taking the woman's hand into his own and kissing it again. "I'm afraid we must take our leave. Dinner was divine, and the next time you're in Midgar, please don't hesitate to call so we may return the favour."

Tseng boowed, bidding his adieu.

"Bernard," Rufus said, taking the man's hand and shaking it. "You have raised fine sons, sir. These two have served me well in my brief time as President, and I am certain I will be able to count on them for many years to come."

"Are you and Reno staying here or going with them?" Sam asked. Rude just looked at Reno, leaving the decision up to him.

"We'll stay if ya want to Rude.. like ya said, I know your momma would appreciate it. .and "He gives a hushed "I like it here."

Rude nodded. "We're staying, I guess."

Rufus nodded as well. "I see. Then I will have Tseng call you when the suits arrive in the morning. Please make sure nothing will keep you two from attending tomorrow." 


	25. Chapter 25

"Yes sir" Reno was leaning on Rude's shoulder as the two left, feeling especially affectionate after the past few days.

Rude watched the President and Tseng leave... were they hand in hand? Man, the Costan life must be getting to them all...

"Remind me to neuter that damn cat when we get home" Reno just chuckled when he said this, though he knew it would likely do anything for Livewire's rather overexuberant personality.

"You won't, and you know it," Rude protested. His arm went around Reno's back, his hand at Reno's opposite side. "I have a feeling we're going to have an early morning."

"Which means we should be headin' up. .." he yawned, he really was fairly tired after the stress of the past several days.

Rude grunted and nodded. He led Reno past his family, still at the table. "Night," he said.

"Yeah, night all. . "

Gladys smiled and nodded. "You two sleep tight."

Rude really wished his mother wouldn't look at him like that when he went to bed with Reno. He really did. It wasn't natural for mother's to give their sons a kind of 'way to go!' look, was it?

Reno laughed "Oh, we will, trust me." with that he gave a wink to Gladys and escorted Rude upstairs.

Rude's face was pink. No, not pink, more like that red left best associated with shiny new sports cars and Reno's natural hair colour. When he shut the bedroom door behind him, he turned to Reno. "You don't have to egg her on like that."

"Yeah, I do. She's fun to tease, yo. and so are you." He planted his lips flush on Rude's, who would be able to feel the saucy grin.

When Rude finally pulled away for air, the most scathing thing he could come up with was, "You suck." Oh yes, fear that razor wit.

"Yeah, I do...but only you now. .want me to?"

Rude didn't ask for much. Not really. However, when Reno offered like that, he couldn't help himself. He ran his hand over the side of Reno's face lovingly, eyes piercing even through his sunglasses. His head bobbed once in a nod.

Reno began working to get them undressed, leaning Rude back on the bed he is immediatly all over him. .lips, tounge, teeth.. as if Rude were the most delectable thing ever. ..little moans floating up, vibrating the shaft in between his lip.

Well, if Rude wasn't hard before, he was then. He kept his hands on the bed, fingers grasping at the comforter under him whenever Reno hit a particularly nice spot.

Reno smiled around him, closing his eyes a moment, taking him in, muscles vibrating around him, those eyes when they opened had teasing sparks dancing in them.

Rude was too busy keeping his noises down to do much else. While he greatly wanted more, he wasn't one to look a gift blow job in the mouth, so to speak.

Reno then teasingly waggled a finger in front of him, pushing it into Rude's mouth, not missing a beat. ..he used the moisture there and reached around, that teasing glint never dying as he slid it within himself. ..gasping moan echoing.

"Jesus, Reno," Rude gasped. He had to stop looking. If he didn't, he wasn't responsible for the impending orgasm that already teased the ends of his senses. It felt like forever since they'd last had the chance to enjoy each other's company.

Reno then impaled himself with another soft hiss. ..hips stiling for a moment, trying to adjust.

Rude's mouth fell open, his jaw seeming to lock in place as a soundless cry. He couldn't stop it, even if he wanted to. He spasmed and twitched inside the redhead, his orgasm, when it left him, left him feeling most drained and most apologetic. "Sorry," he said, feeling like a total ass.  
M "'sokay yo. ." and he kissed him hard. ..he could bewitch and arouse with just that mouth. ..and he knew it.

The kiss was delicious, and Rude couldn't help but run a fingertip over Reno's chest, pausing momentarily to tweak a pert nipple.

That red haired head tilted back. .another soft gasp coming from him. ..it sent a shot of sensation through him that left him shivering.

"You can..." Rude said, gesturing with his hands instead of saying it. "I mean, if you want... if you think it'll be easier." He was NOT going to tell Reno it was okay to top him. He was NOT.

Reno nodded, flipping him. .. finding a bottle of baby oil inside a dresser. .better than nothing. ..with well slicked finger he found that bundle of nerves inside, massaging it. ..then wiith a second finger he stretches him. ..slowly withdrawing them, then with ever so slow sliding motion he is in. ..a loud, harsh moan following the motion.

Rude found all the sensations rather pleasant... but for some reason, they weren't giving him any telltale signs of arousal. He mentally shrugged. Maybe he was just too exhausted from his sudden orgasm. He hoped it wouldn't be an ongoing problem...

Reno started stroking his back. . then that oil slicked hand found it's way around, those, long, slender fingers tapping over it for a moment before that slim yet suprisingly strong hand wrapped around him. ..he moved slowly at first, giving Rude time to find his equilibriam again. ..wanting to slowly build instead of going too fast.

It was delightful. Reno, when he wanted to, could spoil Rude absolutely rotten. And Rude was feeling quite spoiled, possibly even to the point of mildly moldy at that moment. A low moan escaped his lips as he raised his hips up just slightly.

"I love you. ..you spoil me too, yo. . .a lot. .." somehow Reno always seemed to know what he was thinking, as that hand gripped him just the tiniest scoch tighter. ..then releasing to glide up before tightening on the downstroke. ..driving in and making sure he hit the sweet spot with each downstroke to double the sensation, even though the tight heat left him gasping in order to keep himself from going over.

Another moan fell from Rude as he arched just a bit into Reno's strokes. There. Finally. He was starting to get hard again. He hoped it wasn't something to do with his age... he was only 28, after all, 29 in a month. He didn't think he was THAT old to be having THOSE kinds of problems.

Reno pressed a loving kiss to his back. ..his mouth curving into a soft smile. ..old.. .nah, not old. ..not a bit. ..simply normal behavior, especially after THAT. ..not something Reno minded a bit. Sometimes it was nice to have to work for it a little. ..and it sure as Hell felt great to let the pleasure build slow at times. ..he kept the pace slow, even. ..gentle love insitead of the normal wildcat. ..no. ..hed leave that for Tseng and Rufus who he was sure would be going at it like bunnies tomorrow night.

A nice, low moan escaped Rude's lips, indication that he was rather enjoying himself. He wasn't normally one to admit to enjoying a bottom status, however, when Reno did things just so, it was quite rather nice. He decided that no, he didn't have to get off so long as that feeling kept going.

He hit that bundle of nerves just so again. ..he could feel the tightening down there, but he was ever the curteous one. ..kneeling staight up to free his other hand he cupped Rude's sac while stroking with the other hand in time with his thrusts. ..his nerves tingled as he let out another gasping hiss, teeth finding his lip.  
m And there was his weakness. Most guys, at least he'd heard, weren't too keen on having the family jewels fondled. It either was ticklish, or uncomfortable, or just plain weird feeling. But not for Rude. Nope. Rude was fairly certain that, in the right situation, he would be able to get off just on stimulation of his boys alone. Well... it was certainly enough to get his hard, that's for sure.

Reno's skin became sheened in sweat. ..Good God. ..he was thrumming. ...so delightlfully. ..so close he could taste it. ..but he held off for his husband. ..

Rude's muscles clenched tightly. He reached, reached... there. With what felt like an immense sense of relief, he release himself, the feeling similar, but not as powerful as, his previous release.

Reno bit his lip to hold back the cry that accompanied his own release. ...his arm muscles clenched tight his back bending and arching. ..he withdrew and fell next to his husband, sleep calling, edging in as blackness around his vision. ..with an arm around Rude he answered his call with that tiny telltale twitch.

Rude was suddenly, irrevocably, awake. He hated when that happened. He was so tired just after his first release, but now... he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep for a while.

Reno mumbled as he flipped over. .just that slight little mumble that signaled the drop into deep sleep.

Gladys however was downstairs baking.. .Reno had requested a cake for Tseng and Rufus, and she was glad to do it, she LOVED to bake. ..the smell would be seeping up the stairs.

Rude sighed. There was no point laying there and more than likely waking Reno up. He sighed again, then carefully climbed out of bed. He pulled on a loose pair of shorts, leaving the rest of him bare. He was home, afterall. He followed his nose to the kitchen.

"Hello, Rudolph. .Could you get me my icing set from under the sink please?" she had five pans with cake layers of various sizes and flavors in them... including the chocolate raspberry Reno had discovered Rufus ADORED.

"Hey, Momma," Rude said, a small yawn escaping his mouth. He was tired, yes, but not tired enough to fall asleep. Or was that too tired? He did as she asked, pulling the smallish tupperwear container from its place under the sink. He noticed the bottle of tequila on the kitchen counter as well. "Burning the midnight oil?" he asked.

"I have to have this cake done by 8 am tomorrow if Mr Shinra is to have it for his reception."

When did...? Rude just shook his head. He walked over to the fridge to get some orange juice. Maybe some tequila sunrises would help him sleep. "You want a hand?" he asked.

"I need the silver icing as well as the red. .I'm doing silver piping around the edges of each layer. ..as well as the company logo on the top." She had even painted up a couple of figurines to look like Rufus and Tseng. ..one thing about Gladys, when she did something, she went all out.

Rude nodded, puttering about the kitchen until he found what his mother had asked for. "Want one?" He asked, taking down a glass for his drink.

"Please..oh, and I need the white frosting and the column shaped cake stands." She was being happily busy.

Rude took down another glass, then poured two shots into each one before finishing off with orange juice. "Where's the grenadine?" he asked, ducking down to look in the back of the cupboard under the sink. At least, that's where he saw his mother's columns last.

"It's in the cabinet above the stove, I need it to tint the white icing red, I seem to have run out of the red, thanks. ..you may of course have some."

"Thanks, Momma," Rude smiled. There, there they were. "How many of these column things are there supposed to be?" he asked. There were eight of them there, and he hoped there weren't supposed to be more.

"Just 8, sweetheart."

With a grin, Rude handed over the eight cake pillars. He grabbed the grenadine, finishing the drinks with it before handing it over to his mother. He set her drink on the counter by her, then went about looking for the white icing, his own drink in hand.

Gladys took a sip, sighing in contentment. "You always were good at that Rudolph."

Rude smiled, an almost imperceivable blush touching his ears. Praise, especially from his mother, did that to him.

Gladys as he brought her the icing tipped just a teaspoon or so of the grenadine into it, it turned the white icing a nice deep red red color when mixed. She set out the first layer, frosting it white, then piping it with the silver. ..setting the second layer on the first set of columns and frosting it and piping it, then so on, until she had the top layer up, she put an impecable replication of the Shinra corp logo on the top, modeled off a cufflink that sh had sitting next to it, Reno had filched it for her to use, and would slip it back into Rufus' things in the morning. Finally, she topped it with the figurines right in the middle of the logo.

By that time, Rude had finished his first drink, noticed his mother did as well, and made them both refills. He whistled lowly and appreciatively at the finished cake.

"I think he'll like it, though I hope your man wakes up before Tseng comes to pick it up so he can slip this back into your boss's things." She held up the cufflink.

Rude frowned. "That little theif," he muttered. Ah well, it wasn't like the President was going to miss it anytime before he put his suit on again. "Excellent work, Momma," Rude said, raising his half empty glass in a toast.

She toasted back. "I did tell him I needed a good represntation of the logo, probably best he could find. "She chuckles.

Rude shook his head, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. He pulled out his Turk ID, and showed it to his mother, the ShinRa logo blatantly showing on it. "He just wanted to see if he still had it," Rude said thoughtfully.

She chuckled again. "Probably. .. "

Rude sighed. He still wasn't tired. "I know how he feels sometimes..." His mother knew about his past, being his mother and all. In fact, she was usually the one to answer the door whenever he was escorted home by the authorities.

She patted his arm.. "You've changed though. . . I have a feeling you both have. ..you're good for each other.. .I'm glad everyone here has seemed to take to him aside from your younger brother, but then again, Eric likes no one really...I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy.

"Eric's entitled to his own opinion, regardless of how idiotic he can be," Rude said, finishing his drink and preparing another. "And it's not like everyone in the world is going to welcome us with open arms..." He paused. "But it was kind of shocking how well he and Dad get along."

"He loves cars, Rudolph..but he seems to grow on people anyway. Eric doesn't like him because he can't steal him." she smiled knowingly.

Momma," Rude said, the warmth from the alcohol making him feel a little chatty. "About earlier... with Eric... and Sam..."

"I saw the photos, dear. ..I know what happened. .it was the heat of the moment, and when you think with your little head instead of your big one things happen. ..better hope your father never sees those, though."

His mother was the only person on the planet who could get away with using the words 'little head' and 'big head'. Rude was sure of it.

"Fuck," he swore, pausing when he saw the look Gladys gave him. "Sorry, Momma..." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I just... I don't want it to come back on Sam. I can handle it. I don't know if he can."

"It would mean repercussion for all of you, from what Eric was implying your man insitigated it. .he would make that clear to your father, too, I'm sure."

"Reno is..." Rude paused, then sighed. "He's a very... sexual creature." He stopped, wondering just when it was okay to talk about sex in front of your parents... or worse, your mother. "He gets caught up in the moment so easily, and he doesn't think about anything, ever, and he has no idea what it's like to have to worry about what other people think of you."

"He's learning, if the look on his face this morning is any indicator. ..our opinions of him seem to mean a lot."

Rude sighed. He needed another drink. So did his mother, apparantly. "And then there was the kiss."

"I saw the photo Rudolph. .. YOU got caught up in the moment. ..like I said, it happens, even if more for him than you."

"You don't understand, Momma!" Rude said a little louder than he probably should have. "When Reno and I were..." he paused, having just enough sense to mention that, "Are you sure you want to hear about my sex life?"

"It seems to help to talk about it, and it's not anything I haven't heard before."

Rude's eyes were wide. "Momma..." he said, rather taken aback by his mother's statement.

Gladys batted her eyes a bit, then smiled. "Rudolph, it's not like your father and I haven't ever, you know. ..as disturbing as it is for most children to think of their parents having sex."

"Gah! Momma! Please!" Rude flailed just a little, his mind supplying mental pictures he really didn't need.

M"At any rate, I've about heard it all. ..nothing you can say could bother me...if you want to talk abou tit, if it helps, consider me a counselor."

"I just..." Rude figured the best way to say it was to just get it out there, damn poor word choices. "I wasn't just thinking of Reno when I was... in Reno."

Gladys sighs, shaking her head. "It might be best he never know that, sweetheart. . .he'd be hurt, you know. and thinking about it. ..is a lot different from actually DOING it."

"I've never thought of Sam that way, Momma," Rude added. "Never, ever. Not when we were kids, not when we were growing up. Never."

"As long as you never do it.. .there won't be a problem, will there? I know. .you feel guilty, and from some of what I overheard you've had a rough few months, and sometimes odd thoughts come to mind when you have. You've settled that with Sam, right?"

"Yeah," Rude saaid, taking a drink from his freshly prepared fourth double shot tequila sunrise. "We cool."

"And sam has settled it with your man. ..though if you don't get it settled up with your man you'll likely feel guilty, but I'm not sure how to tell you to do that. ..he seems the type to take a blow of that kind hard."

"Reno and I are cool," Rude said. He left off the unspoken 'I think.'

"As long as your cool with him not knowing, then I guess it's allright."

"If it really bothers him, he'll tell me," Rude said. Honestly though, he really didn't want to talk about it with Reno. The less he talked about it, the better he thought he was dealing with it.  
M "It's almost 3 o'clock, you should probably TRY to get some sleep, you have an early start tomorrow."

Rude finished the last of his drink, putting his glass into the sink. He leaned over, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek, then, thinking better of it, gave her a hug as well. "Thanks, Momma," he said softly. "Night."

"You too, Rudolph. .if Reno wants to he can talk to me anytime. ..make sure to give him our number."

"I will, Momma," Rude said, yawning as he walked up the stairs. Finally, he was tired.

Reno gives a soft grunt when Rude comes back into bed, but doesn't awaken. ..his red hair spread out like a curtain.

Rude slid back under the covers, trying not to lay on Reno's hair. He snuggled up close to the redhead, the alcohol giving him just enough of a mental calm to fall asleep.

Reno awoke to the 7 am alarm, groggy.. .he went downstairs to start the coffee before waking Rude.

Rude stretched. Four hours of sleep did not bode well on his body, but he'd have to deal. Besides, he'd done worse.

Reno had coffee made up, and soon the smell of omelets with the little costan green peppers and ham and cheese filled the house.

Rude stretched again, then pulled on the pants he was wearing the night before and followed his nose down to the kitchen.

Gladys was already up and sitting at the table, as was Sam, Renowas plopping some quite tasty looking omelets onto plates.

Rude scratched his head, a yawn breaking his face. "Momma?" he asked. "You let Reno cook?"

"He said he wanted to. ..besides, I don't do omelets well." He would remember the last time she tried to make omelets where they fell apart.

Rude shrugged, going for the coffee. It wasn't often Momma gave up her kitchen.

"Your Dad's not up yet. ..Momma says he was up half the night tinkering."

Rude nodded, taking his first sip of coffee and sighing happily.

Reno takes a bite off the omelet, then a sip of coffee, also looking strangely contented, though it seems. ..a thin sort of contentment.. .as if something lurked below it.

Breakfast went off without a hitch. The omlettes were wonderful, the coffee was wonderful, and Rude was guessing the shower he was about to take would also be wonderful.

Reno wandered up the stairs toward the bathroom. ..he still seemed falsely chipper. ..but it was enough.

Rude was right. The hot water flowing down his back felt wonderful. However, it was making him a little sleepy, something he definitly didn't need that day.

Reno climbed in as well. .. grinding againt Rude with a bit of extra oomph this morning.

A smile came over Rude's face. "You're awful cheerful this morning," he said, trailing a fingertip over Reno's collarbone.

False cheer, but Rude wouldn't know that. ..even though he did gasp and almost purr at the fingers trailing over his skin. "'sawedding. ..why shouldn't I be cheerful? Two people I think of like brothers are gonna be happy."

Rude didn't mention that he thought the President and Tseng were already happy. "Nervous?" he asked, letting just his fingertip move down to trace the redhead's naked hipbones. "... or excited?"

"Maybe a little. .. maybe.. just feels odd closing the door on the past ya know..not that I'd ever wanna be with him again, yo, I got you, an' you're all I want. ..maybe it's. ." he paused, looking for the right word "a little nostalgia making things feel a little wierd."

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, his finger sliding slowly up Reno's side to trace that collar bone again.

Reno shudders. "You know it. .. and Gods. ..so wonderful. .." he turned into his arms with a soft kiss. ..clinging to him. ..

"You feel tense," Rude said, gently pushing Reno to the other side of the shower. "Let me get a good look at you... maybe I can figure out for myself what I can do to help..."

Reno knew something about that day at the beach Rude didn't...something he'd said under his breath he didn't know he had. ..but he wasn't going to say anything, figuring it was just some stupid heat of the moment thing. ..if Rude asked. ..he'd pull the fastest ever cover-up.

The set of his shoulders, the way Reno was fidgeting back and forth ever so slightly. When Rude reached out an ran that fingertip from the redhead's shoulder to his wrist, he saw the way Reno flinched slightly at the first touch and almost leaned into the last. Something was up. Rude just had until either the hot water heater ran out or Momma came banging on the door. 


	26. Chapter 26

Reno's bottom lip.. between the teeth, there it was...sure sign of pain or emotional troubles, the one sign he could never quite supress, but he was far from wanting to say it. ..what do you say when your lover whispers another's name in the heat of passion when they hadn't even realized it? He'd tried not to let it bother him, it was after all one of those moments, and was partly his own fault as well, but it did, and the more he mulled it over, it bugged him even more.

"You gonna tell me about it, or do I have to tease it out of you?" Rude was feeling more than a little randy, evidenced by his 'little head' giving a good morning salute.

Reno suddenly turned to face him, and just said it, no other way to do it. "You whispered HIS name while we were. ..and I tried not ta let it bug me, but it does."

There went that arousal. Rude frowned, trying to remember. "Who's name? When?"

"On the beach. ..you whispered Sam's name.. ." his head went down. ."Like I said, tried not ta let it bug me..I mean, it was onea those moments you swear you're never going to repeat again. ..but I can't help it."

"Jesus," Rude said, hand going to his head as if to run through hair he didn't have. A small part of his brain realized that it was a motion he'd obviously picked up from his elder brother when they were growing up.

Finally Reno just shook his head and climbed under the spray. "No time ta be buggered about it now. .." The words were spoken in a tone that said he wasn't going to discuss it right now, the way he sometimes did before an assignment that would take place after one of their rare fights.

Rude grunted and nodded, but a tiny, almost unheard whisper escaped his lips. "I thought we were cool."

"We are.. .for the most part. ..not sure why it's buggin' me now."

Rude sighed. Of all the days for something to bother Reno that he DIDN'T want to talk about... The redhead just HAD to pick the day where he got almost no sleep, was expected to be on his best behaviour, AND was feeling like general shit anyway. He just wanted to let all parts of the whole Sam thing just blow over and never be spoken of, or thought of again.

"But. .let's just put it aside for now, yo.. .got a wedding ta get ready for. ..deal with it tomorrow if it's still buggin' me. " With that he presses a soft kiss on Rude's mouth.. basically a kiss to reclaim what he considered HIS.

Rude nodded, accompanied by another grunt. Great. Now that Reno had brought it up, it was going to be bugging HIM all day.

Reno had his hair wet, and handed Rude back the shampoo bottle. True to his word he didn't say anymore.

Rude's motions were almost mechanical, as if he were working an assembly line job in a factory making minimum wage. All he could think about what what he'd said and what it'd done to Reno. Dammit, and things were going so well that day already.

Reno as the shower finished brushed and spiked his hair, tying it back, donning the suit that had arrived with Tseng just 5 minutes before. ..he looked good, aside from how plastic that smile looked. ..well, hopefully it would hold out for today.

Rude took a few moments to shave, both his head and around his goatee. He could see the beginnings of some stubble and didn't have time for either wax -- which he didn't recommend for head usage -- or those depilotory creams -- which usually left you red for the rest of the day. He took out and cleaned all his earrings, replacing them with care before he put on his suit. Away from Reno's prying eyes, he put in his cock piercing, figuring it would give him something different than the whole Sam thing to think about over the course of the day. He finished off with his very last pair of expensive sunglasses, hoping that Reno wouldn't klutz out and break these, too.

"GUess we're ready, yo. .." He pumped a bit of enthusiasim into his tone, thhough inward;y he was kicking himself for telling Rude what was bugging him TODAY of all days.

Rude nodded, straightening his tie. He shifted just a little and could feel his piercing rubbing against his clothing.

He strode downstairs, waving and giving Gladys his best grin, and a jaunty salute for Sam. ..Rude would be the only one able to tell he was bugged. ..there were times he hid it well.

Rude paused long enough to give his mother a kiss on the cheek, then he followed Reno.

Reno was then out the door, heading for the hotel where Rufus and Tseng would now be getting ready. ..early morning wedding, a lunch reception, then three more days of fun and sun before heading back to Healin until the new building was completed.

Rude sighed, following two steps behind Reno the entire trip. He was glad for both the sunglasses and the excellent cut of his suit, considering how, strangely, his piercing wasn't catching on anything, but was placing him in a half-aroused state. Maybe he'd have to take it out afterall and just deal with thinking about the whole Sam thing.

Reno opens the door to find Rufus already impeccably dressed, thankful Tseng had done him the favor of slipping the cufflink back into Rufus' jewelry box. "Lookin' good, Boss."

Rufus took a moment to appraise the pair before speaking. "Likewise."

Rude closed the door behind them with a, "Sir."

Reno was secretly glad he was able to hide his stormiest moods from even Rufus' sharp eye most times. ..no WAY was the topic in the back of his mind up for discussion.. .instead he simply waits for Tseng to finish getting ready, the Wutain quietly muttering about not being able to wear the traditional wedding garb due to the heat.

Rude kept his chuckle to himself. Heat? This was nothing. In the middle of the Costan summer, they would've been lucky to see someone dressed in more than the skimpiest of underwear... if they wore anything at all.

"Are we ready, Tseng? We don't have all day..." Rufus said casually. No one could tell he was just the teensiest bit anxious.

Tseng finally has his tie straight, and everything else in place. . .in his opinion the kimono and obi Wutain males traditionally wore would have been easier.

When Tseng stepped into view, Rufus was speachless. Even though he'd seen the older man in a suit almost every day of his life, seeing him dressed as he was made him look... somehow more polished. And if there was one thing that got Rufus' motor going, it was class, style and polish.

"I believe I'm ready sir."

Ok, and there went him being bothered about the "Sam" indicent altogether. .."If I may be so bold, sir.. . the boss is one lucky mug."

It took Rufus a moment to swallow and regain his voice. "Good," was all he could say, and he couldn't take his eyes off Tseng. The older man was beautiful, his excellent breeding evident in the way he carried himself. Tseng's appeal was two parts clothing and at least four parts attitude.

Rude couldn't hold back the tiny snicker any longer. He wondered, absently, if he and Reno had acted that way before their nuptuals.

Tseng chuckled darkly, he loved having this effect on Rufus.

Rude cleared his throat, opening the door behind him. They didn't have all day for the President to sit there and oogle Tseng.

"Ah, yes," Rufus said, his sudden feeling of being flustered only barely noticable by his tone. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the door.

Tseng nodded "of course sir."

Reno sniggered, being right behind them.

Rufus shot Reno a look that clearly said 'not funny.' He cleared his throat again, straightened himself up, and walked out of the room behind Tseng, noticing that Rude followed as well.

Reno lofted one crimson brow at Rufus as they walked over to the temple. ..entering in he sighed, the air conditioned air felt good.

Rude sighed. Yes, the air conditioning felt good, and it was just what he needed to wake himself up more.

Reno suddenly looked up and gulped. ..apparantly several people had seen the tailor bring the suits over to the hotel and had gathered what was going on. ...the balconies were LINED with townspeople.

Tseng noticed as well, but paid it no mind. Crowds didn't bother him.

Rude dropped instantly into bodyguard mode, stepping closer to Rufus and keeping his eyes out for anything that could possibly be considered even slightly suspicious.

Tseng turned to Rufus "It looks like they've discovered us."

Reno dropped in next to Rude, also automatically going into "watch the boss's back" mode.

"So it appears," Rufus replied, waving charmingly at the gathered onlookers. His walk slowed as he took in his people. Well, not technically his people, but for all intensive purposes, he WAS President of ShinRa Electric Power Company, after all.

The priest called them to the front. .then cleared his throat preparing to speak.

"I hope you remembered the rings, Reno" Tseng spoke quietly.

"Right here, sir." He pulled the box from his pocket.

Rufus smiled. It was time.

"We are gathered here today to join these two in the bonds of marriage. .if there is any who object to this union, please do so now or forever remain silent."

Tseng hoped to all that was Holy that his ex was NOT in the crowd or he would be hearing some very vehemant objections.

Rude looked around, trying to see if his brother was in the crowd. If he was... it would not be pretty.

Gladys waved from a seat near the front, Sam on one side of her. ..and was that Bernard on the other? How Gladys had induced him to come would probably NEVER be discovered.

Rude frowned. His father? Here? Will wonders never cease...

Hearing no objections, the priest continued. He turned to Rufus "Repeat after me, sir. ..I. .Rufus Shinra, do claim thee Tseng Xian to be my spouse and mate, through this life and the next, and vow to honor, cherish, and remain true to you and only to you."

Rufus did as he was asked, looking into Tseng's eyes the entire time.

The priest turns, asking Tseng to do the same. .

Tseng's eyes misted a bit as he spoke the vow that would bind him to this man he'd known since the president had been a mere child. ..one that as the boy had become a man he had grown to love quite deeply. .he smiled, deep brown meeting icy blue.

"The rings please."

Reno handed over the two platinum rings carved into the shapes of woven cord.

A deep, shaking breath went through Rufus. This was it; he was finally binding himself to the man he first thought of as his father's spy, then his protector, his friend, and finally, his lover. They had been through a lot together, and the blonde wanted to make sure they stayed that way.

"The ring, a perfect circle, is a symbol of the eternal love which has this day brought you to make these vows one unto another. .." He gives Rufus the first ring. "Speak these words unto your new lifetime partner. 'with this ring I give unto you all of my treasures, those not only of money, but of heart, soul, and body as well.'"

Rufus did so, his voice hitching just once at the word 'heart'.

As Tseng spoke the ring vow his own throat clogged. ..voice not quite hitching, but it certainly sounded a bit creaky. ..his eyes practically going from ice to warmth when he slid that cord-carved ring onto the president's finger.

"You may now kiss to seal your vow."

Rufus looked to Tseng, a slow smile spreading over his face. Before he could broadcast his movements, he threw his arms around the older man, panting a wet one on his lips.

Tseng of course responded with a slow closing of those eyes and a bit of tounge. ..before whisipering "I have a small surprise for you. ..it's in the reception hall" Rufus of had NOT been clued in on the wonderful home made cake Gladys had worked so hard on. ..she had baked a big one, as she had suspected half the town would show up.

Rufus grinned, but not before whispering, "I have a surprise for you, too... it's in my pants." Seems the President had some personal celebration in mind for later that evening.

"Of course sir. ..and happy that surprise shall be." Oh yes. ..they were DEFINATELY happy campers.

Rude glanced over to Reno, his face obviously asking, "We weren't that bad, were we?"

Reno smirked and his own said back "Yeah we were."

Rude just shook his head in response. He shifted his stance slightly, which caused his piercing to catch lightly -- and kind of pleasantly -- on his boxers. Oh, he'd almost forgotten about that.

Tseng opened up the cake tin. ..revealing the absolutely BEAUTIFUL cake Gladys had baked. ..underneath the tin was a small envelope.

Reno in the meanwhile had completely loosened up, apparantly thinking of the serious smexing that would be going on between the newlyweds that night, he gives Rude a slowly spreading smirk.

"What's this?" Rufus asked, picking up the small note. He couldn't deny that the cake was both beautiful and unexpected.

Rude looked behind him to his right, then his left, his face finally settling on a 'me?' look. As if the redhead would be giving anyone else that look.

Inside the envelope were two Gold Tickets. ..they each had one of the two newly married Shinra personnel's names on them. "I thought someone who works as hard as you could use a little fun once in a while. Gladys."

Reno mouthed "Who do you think, yo?"

"Rude has one hell of a mother," Rufus said with a laugh.

Rude shrugged.

Tseng as "simple and clean" starts playing leads Rufus out onto the floor. . .his steps were smooth, with all the grace Bushido training brought.

Rude nodded towards the dancefloor, his own way of asking if Reno wanted to dance.

Reno nods, and out onto the floor they go, he is leaning into Rude, and he seems completely relaxed. .. "Now just as long as you know who stays away 'sall good."

Rude didn't mention that he thought he saw Eric helping to carry in the supplies for the open bar. It could've been anyone, and he didn't want to get Reno riled up for no reason.

Reno gave another wide grin. ..then as "Touch me" started he gave Rude's ass an almost obvious grope.

Rude's eyes widened. His MOTHER was there... watching... he needed a drink if things were going to continue on the way they were likely to be headed.

Tseng's grope was a bit more subtle, but still most certainly intentional.

Rufus laughed, loudly, then started pulling Tseng towards the bar.

Tseng followed willingly, noting Reno and Rude were headed that way as well.

Rude nodded to the guy standing behind the bar. The face was familiar. Maybe it was somebody he went to grade school with?

"We got a special bottle for you four," he said with a good natured smile, lifting the bottle clearly marked 'Everclear' up. "Want the house drink?" he asked.

Reno nods, "pour me up a shot."

Tseng shrugs, what the hey, it was his reception after all, if he couldn't loosen up and get loaded at his own recption, where could he?

The man nodded, pouring a shot for each of them before he set about making their drinks. He took a shot and a half of cherry liqueur, a shot and a half of the Everclear, and filled the rest of the glasses up with a flavoured malt beverage.

Rude shrugged. Usually he didn't do shots of things you could set fire to, but it was his boss' reception. Without another thought, he downed the shot, his eyes starting to water just slightly. Ah yes, that turpentine taste followed by the warmth in the belly.

Rufus laughed, then did his own shot, sputtering more than slightly. He wasn't expecting the liquor to be so strong.

Reno took it like a pro. ..his grin showing how quickly the alcohol hit, as did the slight pink tinge to his cheeks.

Tseng however, despite being to eat hot peppers raw, showed how hard it was with the way his eyes watered and his mouth pursed. . .oh yes, quite strong stuff.

The man handed over the drinks with a smile, but something felt a little wrong to Rude. He shook his head; it was probably just the alcohol.

Reno started feeling. ..a little odd. ..more than just the alcohol. ..he was. ..suddenly hard as a damn post.

Rude drank deeply from his cup, his mouth suddenly dry. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten the cotton mouth feeling just from doing a shot. However, the strange, yet warm, sensation sitting low in his stomach only got stronger the more he drank.

Rufus took a few delicate sips from his drink, finding it a little too strong for him to consume quickly. Lightweight.

Tseng also noticed the. .feeling down below...he looked over to Reno and mouthed. "These drinks have been tampered with."

Reno whispered in Rude's ear. "The drinks have been dosed, yo. ..not sure what with, but it's obvious."

Rude nodded, glancing back at their bartender. The man was already busy with the other people in line, not once looking in their direction. Now, had he been the one to do the spiking, his constant glances in their direction would've given him away. No, it was somebody else... If there WAS a poison in there... Rude nodded to himself, reaching into his pocket and removing a small tin. He opened it, handing each of them a small white pill. "Antidote," he said, taking his with another sip from his drink. There, if there was any poison, it was most certainly neutralized, and those pills had a 24 hour effect.

Reno suddenly figured out what it was. ..and blanched..."GBH. ..ah, shit. ..explains bein' harder than a steel fence post"

Rude didn't realize it until just then, but Reno had a point. Or rather, all four of them seemed to have sprouted points, so to speak. "No more Everclear," Rude said, figuring that the drug was what had caused the powerful alcohol's slightly odd taste. He shifted, causing his piercing to catch again and make him moan loudly.

Reno however remembered one OTHER thing. ..that drug and alchohol was a bad combination. He whispered to Rude to keep an eye out on Rufus and Tseng and make sure they stayed awake until the drug had left their systems."Fucking idiot. .doesn't he know he could have KILLED us all by putting it in the damn booze?"

"The Antidote will keep the two from converting into anything toxic," Rude said, his words slurring just slightly. "And so long as we don't drink more, we should be fine. Dose was low enough, I think."

Reno nodded, but his brain was utter mush. ..he pressed his lips to Rude's, NARROWLY resisting the urge to hump his leg. ..he was so God Damn horny he almost couldn't stand it.

The drug was entering his system far slower than the others' it seemed. Rude watched as Rufus pressed himself hungrily against Tseng, capturing the older man's lips in a sloppy kiss.

Tseng was similarly nearly wrapped around Rufus, hips making slight rocking motions. ..not extremely noticeable ones, but still unusual for the normally stoic Wutain.

Rufus leaned in close to Tseng's ear, not resisting the urge to lick the shell and nibble on the lobe between words. "I want you to fuck me, my new husband."

Rude's eyes widened. Okay, it was time to get those two out of the public eye before they did something they would have to make a press release about later. He leaned in towards Reno's ear, his words slurring more and more as he spoke. "They need a room. You get Tseng, I got the President."

Reno nodded, but when he went to get Tseng, he got SLUGGED with a hissed "Back off, I'm busy."

Rude managed slightly better with Rufus, sliding his arms around the President and gently leading him backwards towards the nearest door. "Come with me, sir," he said, not resisting the urge to press a light kiss against the blonde's neck. Great, the drug was nearing full effect.

Reno finally managed to get the two into a seperate room. ..though he too could not resist the urge to press his erection into Tseng's back.

Rude pressed his back against the wooden door that seperated them from the rest of the reception. Hooray for finding a small banquet room. His fingers pressed against the door behind him, and he could feel the pulse of the unknown song in the other room in his blood and in his groin. His vision was starting to get fuzzy around the edges.

"Reno," Rufus purred, seeing the redhead as if for the first time in ages. "Come here for a moment." He crooked his finger in a come hither gesture.

Reno has a sloppy grin on his face...walking over to his newly married boss as if tranced, he looks back at Rude, waving him over as well.

Rude was slow to make his way towards the group, so slow that he missed the majority of the conversation.

"My dearest Reno," Rufus purred, circling the redhead as if a predator circling his prey. "I do believe you owe me a favour..."

"Oh, yeah. .." that slow grin crept up across his face as he saw both Rude and Tseng approaching...oh. ..this might just be fun.

"I love my Tseng very much," Rufus explained, unable to keep himself from reaching out and lightly brushing against Reno occassionally as he circled. "However, he is rather... shall we say, traditional, in the bedroom."

"Y-yes sir. .." He hissed out a tiny gasp at the touch. . .he was already as hard as stone...the fact that Rufus had been the one to give him the tiny scar that rested underneath his bangs didn't even seem to register.

"I've heard your work on our stoic Rudolph... I believe he also had a similar problem when you two first got together, correct?" Rufus asked. He glanced over at the still slowly approaching Rude, his smile predatory.

"Yes sir...he's. ..certainly loosened up."

The blonde stopped at Reno's back, leaning in to whisper into the redhead's ear. "We're all aware of the crush you've harboured for him."

Reno's cheeks actually tinge pink. "Y-yes sir. .." He was not thinking about how furious Rude would normally be with him to even CONTEMPLATE what was in his mind right now. ..his cock was firmly in control by this point.

"Look at him," Rufus grasped Reno's shoulders hard, hissing into his ear as he ground his hips against the redhead's behind. "Look at that noble face, those strong arms, and tell me if you still want him to bend you over that table and take you, make you cry out his name."

"You know it sir. .." suddenly his words held confidance. .as soon as Rude was near enough he was on his knees. ..stripping Rude's pants down, taking him into his mouth. . .the expression he tosses Tseng was positivly smoldering.

Rude's eyes went wide as he felt Reno's mouth surround him. Unconsciously, his hands went into the redhead's hair, holding him there as he shallowly thrust into that mouth.

Rufus turned his attention to Tseng. "My beloved," he said, stalking seductively towards the older man.

Tseng had a slow smirk spread across those sharp features as he drew off his tie and used it to tie the redhead's hands behind him. . ..then siezed Rufus' lips in a deep kiss.

Rufus moaned, grinding himself against Tseng as they kissed. He pulled away after a moment. "Very nice, my Tseng," he purred, surveying the older man's handywork. "What else can you show me on our young Reno?"

Tseng's dagger came out then. ..that smirk grew wider, he'd been trained in all sorts of sexual arts, as his mother's profession demanded. .including the increasing of one's sexual pleasure by the use of the tiniest cuts across the surface of the skin...

Reno moaned out loud as the blade just barely scraped across the overly sensitive skin. ..he didn't know why the stinging burn felt so good, only that it did.

Rude's moan echoed Reno's, as the vibrations from the redhead's mouth seemed to travel across his entire body.

Rufus tsked as he knelt down next to Reno. He lapped at the tiny drop of blood that welled up on the redhead's skin, eyes never leaving Tseng's. "Now, Tseng," Rufus tsked again. "Why don't you ever bring your toys out when we play, hmm?"

"I never knew you wanted me to."

Rufus paused for a moment, lost in thought. "I guess I never did mention it, did I?" he asked rhetorically.

"And why, my dear Reno, did YOU not ever mention you were a closet masochist. ..I have always wanted someone to hone my skills on."

Reno feels as if his head is floating in a fog of pleasure. ..Rude's cock in his mouth, the occasional tiny cuts Tseng was inflicting, along with the silken feel of the binding on his wrists.

Rude watched Reno squirm, then slowly released his grip on the redhead's hair. He pulled himself carefully from his lover's mouth, taking a step back. "Reno," he said, trying to get his attention.

Rufus, in the meantime, found that he was wearing far too much clothing. Slowly, sensually, as if he were performing for someone, he took his jacket off and unbuttoned his shirt.

Reno mewled as Rude pulled himself free, looking up at him with lust-glazed eyes.

"I want to fuck you," Rude said, his voice barely slurring. He said it as if he were choosing between chicken and fish for dinner, not as if he were speaking to his lover.

"Please. ..Gods, please. .." He then took Rufus into his mouth as Rude climbs behind him, still with his brain fogged enough to indicate he probably wouldn't remember it in the morning, which was just as well.

A pleasant gasping moan dripped slowly from Rufus' lips. Oh, in all the times he'd contemplated getting back with Reno just for that mouth of his.

Rude reached into Reno's pocket, removing the small tube of lubricant inside. His brain might have been fogged with desire, but he still had enough of himself to prepare the redhead before taking him.

Tseng stepped behind Rufus, his eyes dancing as he gestured Rude to pass the lubricant. .when the large bald Turk did he spread some of it over his fingers. ..preparing his new spouse slowly. .gently.. before driving inside with a soft hitching moan.

Reno was moaning loudly around the cock in his mouth as his lips and tounge worked it..he glanced back just enough to notice. ..Gods, Rude was wearing the cock bar. ...his mind almost exploded right there,

A moan of "Yes, my love," fell from Rufus' lips as he was entered. He found himself leaning forward, deeper into Reno's mouth as Tseng pushed all the way inside.

Finding and putting unerring pressure on that spot inside Reno's body that made him squirm, Rude leaned forward and whispered harshly, "Are you ready for me?"

Another moan fell from his lips. ..indicative that he most certainly was.

The moan sent shivers up, down and around Rufus' spine. His hand went to Reno's hair, stroking the locks almost lovingly. "I have missed you, pet," he said softly, pressing himself back against Tseng before pushing forward against Reno's lips.

"Do you know just hot fucking hot you look right now?" Rude asked, pressing extremely slowly into Reno.

Reno let out a soft, hitching cry. ..he was absolutely on fire. ..his whole body singing. ..he bit VERY gently, a lover's nip, onto the cock in his mouth. .then the teeth scraped a bit as he drew back...

Tseng was shivering and moaning as he sunk himself into Rufus.. taking off Rufus' tie he tied it underneath it around his cock and then around his wrist so it would stimulate him with each thrust.

The nip, the teeth, the impossible possibility of danger inherent made Rufus' body clench, which made him moan as he felt Tseng fill him even more.

Rude pulled himself almost completely out of Reno, just as impossibly slow. Even though every nerve in his body was screaming for him to just pound into the redhead, Rude wanted to last just a little longer than 15 seconds.

Reno was shivewring so hard he almost fell. his body clenching as Rude's bar pressed into all the right places. ..the effects of the drugs. ..he was having to think of Jenova strip dancing not to just shoot off right there.

Tseng was having very similar problems. ...it was so hard not to cum right there. ..My God, it was so intense.

Rufus was the first to go, his cock spasming in Reno's mouth. He felt his muscles clench down on Tseng, and the near scream that was ripped from his throat threatened to knock him unconscious.

Rude pressed all the way back into Reno, deciding that shallow thrusts that rubbed his piercing constantly over that spot was just what both he and Reno needed.

Tseng was next, going with a muffled roar. ...his dark eyes almost popping out of his head.

Reno when he went did so with a ululating wail that could likely be heard from the other room. ..red ponytail whipping back, brushing against Rude's over-sensitized flesh. ..Rude would have to catch him quickly with an arm to keep him from falling as he DID pass out. ..

Rufus collapsed to his knees, only sheer willpower keeping him from kissing the concrete.

Rude's climax was accompanied by a roar as he pulled out and thrust HARD as far as he could into Reno.

As they all collapsed into a pile of tangled limbs Reno succumbed completely to the call of slumber. 


	27. Chapter 27

Reno awoke about 5 hours later to a shouted "Sweet Shiva!" Uh oh. ..he KNEW that voice. ...

Rude felt groggy. That kind of groggy you get after a long night of drinking.

Tseng MOANED when he awakened, his head was pounding hard, and his legs were sticky. ..and he had no idea HOW he had gotten onto the floor of a banquet room stark naked.

Rufus, ever the dignified one, put his arm over his eyes, letting his senses sharpen back up before he assessed and dealt with the situation of why there was horribly uncomfortable carpet on his strangely naked back.

"Now, boys.. .care to explain this?" Gladys stood in the door with her hands on her hips.

Rude's eyes shot open and directly towards his mother's voice. "Momma?" he asked, voice small.

"Eric was nice enough to inform me you'd never returned to your hotel last night, I was a little concerned..also, the innkeeper said your cats did a number on your room.

A groan escaped Rufus' mouth. He couldn't take Dark Nation anywhere. He took his arm off his eyes, squinting slightly at the light. He quickly took in his surroundings. "Is there a reason we are all laying here naked?" he asked.

"That's what I'd like to know Mr Shinra." Glsadys sounded like she was trying not to laugh.

Rude's brain finally caught up with the rest of him. His hands instantly flew to cover his nakedness, even though he knew his mother had seen him more than naked before.

"If you would be so kind as to allow us to freshen up a little, Gladys," Rufus asked.

"Certainly."

A few scattered memories started to return to Reno's brain and he blushed deep red over his entire body. .no way no HOW was he telling anyone what his mind was saying he'd done last night.

"Gentlemen," Rufus said, standing up and wandering around the room, picking up his scattered clothing. He seemed far too comfortable and in charge in his nudity.

Tseng is quickly dressing, he too has a few scattered flashes here and there, but he's dealing with them better. ..he lofts a brow. "Would you really like me to break out my blade next time, Rufus-san?"

Rufus' mouth said, "Perhaps, Tseng. Perhaps," but his eyes clearly said 'Yes.'

Rude, meanwhile had finally gotten his thoughts in some semblance of order and was frantically grabbing his clothing and dressing.

Reno as he was fully dressed as he got, opens his mouth to say something, realizes it will get him into trouble, and shuts it again.

"Now," Rufus said, pulling a chair away from one of the tables and sitting in it. "Would anyone care to share what we remember from last night?"

Uh oh. .there it was. ..it was spoken as an order, and he had to obey an order. "I think. ..we all had a huge orgy and passed out, sir.. .but I can't be entirely sure." He flinches abit as he slips around inside the shirt, all of the tiny cuts on his back were sticking to the fabric.

Rude tried to straighten his tie, but it had been misplaced somewhere in the room, making the gesture significantly less effective. "I believe there was a period of time when Reno was, ah, servicing you, sir."

Rufus raised an elegant eyebrow before glancing over at his lover. "Tseng?"

"I believe I was. .using my dagger on Reno sir, but I do not remember much else."

Reno grimaced, that would explain why his back was so sore.

"I see," was all Rufus said, crossing one leg over the other in thought.

Reno then gets one last image. ..the bottle of liquor. ..he relates that to Rufus.

"It was the Everclear, sir," Rude said, certain that the strong alcohol was the cause of their... indescretions.

"And who would have access and reason to do such a thing?" Rufus asked.

"I think we all know the answer ta that, boss" He began running his fingers through touseled red hair in an attempt top at least somewhat tame it.

"We don't know that for certain, Reno," Rude protested. He saw that look in Rufus' eyes at the mention of his brother... and he couldn't save the twerp from the wrath of Rufus ShinRa even if he wanted to.

"Tseng told me he saw a kid who looked lot like you carryin' in a buncha liquor bottles, but I didn't think anything of it until now. ..you tell me, Rude. .he'd do anything to drive me out, he hates me, yo."

"He doesn't hate you," Rude protested yet again. His hand went to his head, running over it as if he had hair. "And it's not a crime to carry in liquor bottles. He does work sometimes..."

"Not the bottle of everclear, Rude. .I know this feeling, the disjointedness and shit.. I KNOW it because I got dosed with this shit on occasion when.." and he reddens, no he would NOT go into how he knew what GBH felt like.

"So what are you going to do? Kill him?" Rude spat. He felt the situaction spiralling dangerously out of his hands.

"He coulda killed US, Rude..do you know how dangerous a combination ANY of those party drugs and alchohol is? I do know, from experience, I watched two of my friends die from that combination! I'm not suggesting killing anybody, but he does need to realize how stupid his actions are."

"Eric is MY brother. I will handle it." Rude's words had a certain finality to them.

"Then I suggest you handle it with a hand upside his head and knock some sense into it, 'cause I, personally, am tireda bein' the victim of his dangerous pranks."

"I said I will handle it," Rude repeated, a tiny snarl in his tone.

Reno stormed out of the room, he was TIRED of being Eric's victim and feeling as if he was not being stood up for by the man who was supposed to do so, family loyalty be damned. In his honest opinion once someone did something to you that could KILL you they'd stopped deserving that loyalty.

A wordless growl left Rude's lips. He could feel his temper boiling just below the surface. "If you will excuse me, sir," he said to Tseng and Rufus through clenched teeth before taking his leave to follow the redhead.

Rufus raised his eyebrow again. "There seems to be trouble in paradise, my dear Tseng..." he paused, as if a thought had just occured to him. "Also, I hate to ask this of you now, but I have a job for you to do..."

"Yes sir."

"I need you to contact one of our operatives in this city," Rufus explained. "This Eric issue needs to be dealt with for more reasons than this. However, since he is Rude's brother, he needs to be dealt with carefully. Rude MUST not know of this... and the brother's life will not be forfeit for his... indescretions. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir...he is to simply be. ..brought under control."

"I knew there was a reason other than the great sex that I kept you around, Tseng," Rufus smiled, standing up from his chair and dusting himself off.

Tseng pressed a light kiss on his mouth.

Reno meanwhile had picked up his emr, storming out into the countryside outside of town, monster hunting, to say he was beyond pissed would have been an understatement.

Rude had stalked back to his mother's house, offering little more than a hello before going upstairs to change. He was quickly dressed in his jean shorts and open shirt, sandles flip-flopping as he quickly jogged down the stairs. One last check to make sure he had both his wallet and his phone, and he was gone.

"Rudy.." Gladys shook her head, SOMETHING had happened. .and she had her suspicions it had to do with her youngest son.

The bar at the main corner of town was relatively dead for that time of day. Rude only had to deal with a handful of stares before everyone got the hint to leave him the fuck alone. He was there for one thing and one thing only: the oblivion that pure drunkeness brings.

"Perhaps we should track down the more sensible of the two, Rufus-san...this trouble in paradise could affect their working relationship, as well, and that would not be good"

"I believe we should clean ourselves up first, Tseng," Rufus pointed out. "It would untoward for persons in our position to be out in public in this state of disarray." Which was Rufus-speak for 'Let them get the majority of their frustrations out before we find them.'

"Yes sir."

Four empty glasses sat in front of Rude, and he was quickly working on the fifth. It hadn't taken long for the dog that bit him the night before to become friendly again. He was even making small talk with the bartender, something he almost never did.

Reno meanwhile looked up with his mouth wide open..a Marlboro. ..he just had to run into a friggin' MARLBRORO.. .with his item pouch back at Gladys'. ..his stomach turned and he hit the tracker on his phone just before the thing's Bad Breath attack got employed. ..to be frank. ..he was in trouble.

Rude's phone beeped at him, but he was too drunk to see straight and accidentally turned whatever was going off, well, off.

The first tentacle to whip into him knocked the confuse spell off him, but his movements were still slowed. ..he could feel the poison eating at him and he just barely got off a pyramid so he could walk back into town. ..he was going to ask the bartender for help, but he didn't make it, instead collapsing in the doorway.

Rude frowned at the redhead on the floor. "Reno?" he asked, voice gruff. "Come over here and have a drink. We gotta talk."

"Yeah, we do, but I'm in no shape for a serious convo at the moment. ..ran into a fuckin' marlboro."

"That sucks," Rude said, polishing off his drink then stumbling towards Reno. "Why didn't you call?"

"I did. ..check your phone yo, I turned the tracker on, didn't have time ta talk.

Rude frowned, taking out his phone. His fingers felt too large for the buttons, and he couldn't exactly make out the fuzzy blobs on the screen anyway. He shrugged as if that were a good enough response. It was good enough for him, anyway.

"Look, I know he's your brother, yo, but the pranks have gotten DANGEROUS. and they aremn't just affecting ME anymore, even though I am his main target... they need to stop."

"You think I don't know that!" Rude howled. Amazing how alcohol could make one's mood jump from pleasant, happy drunk to a raging one.

Reno shivered..the terror from the fight at the condo nibbling at the edges of his mind. ..no, he had to stay logical and in control. ..he had to.

Rude stood over Reno, his size seeming infinitly more than usual. "Eric is MY brother, MINE. And you are MINE," he hissed. "It is MY responsibility to fix this, not yours, not Tseng's, and certainly not Rufus ShinRa's." There is was; the only time Rude ever called the President by his name in as far back as he could remember.

Reno just looked up at him. ."It's also your job to protect me and you have done a piss POOR job of it since I've been here." He got up, stumbling toward the bathroom, as soon as he did he bent over the toilet, shivering as he let loose everything he'd eaten the prvious night into the porcelin bowl.

Rude grumbled under his breath as he went back to the bar, throwing down a pile of gil for another drink. Fuck it. If he was doing suck a piss poor job, fine. He'd show that idiot just what a fucking piss poor job looked like.

Tseng watched Rude stride out of the bar, and traded a look with Rufus "Perhaps now might be a good time to step in."

Rufus frowned. "We need to be delicate about it. A wrong move now would be disasterous."

"Yes, sir. ..You have some pull with Reno, I suggest you handle that end, sir."

Rufus nodded. "Excellent suggestion, Tseng. Keep your phone on." With that, he strode into the bar.

Tseng followed Rude to where he'd finally wandered, his expression neutral. "Would you like to talk about it? it hhelps to clear ones head and get all of one's ducks in a row sometimes."

"Fuck him," Rude said. Well, nothing like getting to the point. "He thinks I'm handing this Eric thing so badly, then he can fucking deal with it. It's not like I haven't been trying to keep them apart, trying to fix things. He'll see just how much I was doing now that I'm not. Fuck. Him."

Tseng simply listened. but said only one thing. "Can you see how they've gotten out of control, and can you see how you could handle the situation in a way that Eric would no longer be able to do things of this sort? I think he feels as he does because despite your effort the pranks are STILL happening. .. I know you cannot control everything, and I do see your point, but I can see his as well. I am an adjutant, after all, seeing both sides is my job."

"Screw him," Rude spat. "I've been doing my best to be a good brother and a good husband, and what has it gotten me? Fuck all, that's what. Not even a 'Thanks, Rude, you're doing the best you can with your idiot brother' or a 'Hey, Rude, thanks for keeping Eric away from me.' Nothing. I got fucking nothing."

Tseng shook his head. "He loves you, you know this, and he's never been good at expressing things of that sort, though you know, he does appreciate you watching his back, he's said as much to Rufus and I both...do you really wish to explore the possibilities of what you could lose should things get entirely out of hand?"

"He's the one with the problem, not me," Rude said, sounding all the world like a petulant child.

"He could end up the DEAD one with the problem if this goes too much further." He did not WANT to point that out, but it was the only thing he could think of now that might possibly reach Rude in this mood.

Rude tried to make his tone flippant, really he did. But his words came out far more hurt, like a kicked puppy. "He doens't care if he lives or dies; why should I?"

Tseng let out a breath through his teeth. "Because you do care, whether you try to make yourself sound like you don't or not."

Reno hugged the toilet in truth he felt horrid for what he'd said, absolutely, positively horrid.

"Excuse me," Rufus asked the bartender. "Is there still a redhead man in here? He was speaking with the tall, bald gentleman that was here."

The bartender just pointed towards the bathroom.

"Thank you," Rufus replied, walking towards the door. He paused just outside of it, choosing to knock to announce his presense. "Reno?"

"Yeah. .m'here" His tone was subdued, almost sad.

"May I come in?" the blonde asked.

"Suit yourself." Again that flat, subdued, sad tone.

Rufus sighed quietly before pushing open the door. The bathroom was small, just two stalls, two urinals and one sink. Feeling the sink was probably the cleanest thing in there other than himself, he leaned against it. "Are you all right?" he asked, knowing the answer already.

"No. .I'm just fuckin' peachy." he regretted the sarcastic tone just as soon as he'd used it.. . and it showed in the downtilt of his head. "Ran into a marlboro, I'm a sick as a fuckin' dog, and I said something absolutely stupid. ..how would YOU feel?"

Rufus turned his head as Reno wretched again, stomping down hard on his gag reflex. When he heard people being sick, it made him feel sick. It sucked. "I would say about like that." He paused, reaching over to grab some paper towels and wet them at the sink. "Let's go get you a remedy," he said as he offered the wet paper towels to Reno.

"Thanks, yo. ..left m'bag at Gladys'. ..like a dumbfuck." He stood very shakily, his knees almost buckling underneath him, but he grabbed the wall. "I can't believe I said that" and he relates to Rufus what he'd said.

Rufus shook his head, placing Reno's arm around his shoulders so he could help the man walk out. "I've noticed something about you two," he said thoughtfully. "You both seem to have quite the temper. Yours flares up verbally, sometimes physically, but always dies down quickly. Rude's, on the other hand, tends to take a while to kindle into a raging inferno. However, like a wildfire, takes longer to tame that anger."

"Yeah. .I'm just sicka this shit with Eric, yo. ..you know how I feel about bigoted people anyway.. .An' I feel a lil' helpless 'cause he won't let me defend m'self, an I lnow he's trying, but this shit is STILL happening. .got me all on edge."

Rufus nodded to the bartender as the hobbled past him towards the door. "Things have already been set in motion," he said very quietly in Reno's ear. "This will not be a problem for much longer."

"good. .shit yo. ..I love him. ..but sometimes I don't get him. .."

"There are things that I don't think even you know about our stoic Rudolph," Rufus said enigmatically. His tone indicated that he would not elaborate on that particular issue further.

He nodded. ."But if I don't know, how can I know the things that're gonna trigger these stupid-ass fights an' avoid 'em?"

"If there is no conflict in a relationship, neither party is being honest with the other," Rufus said with a small, almost secretive smile. Oh yes, even he and Tseng had their spats...

Reno just shook his head he felt, more than anything else, overwhelmingly hurt. "I feel like he's takin' Eric's side, ok? I know it's silly, an' stupid, but Hell.. .is it too much to expect for him to let me defend myself? Even if the kid is family?" He knew Rufus knew how important that was to him, he'd been in a situation where he COULDN'T defend himself against people that were supposed to care.

"You're sending him mixed messages, Reno," Rufus stated, leading him down the street towards the item shop. "First you tell him he's not doing a good enough job at protecting you, then you tell me that he won't let you stand up for yourself. Which do you want, a protector or to stand up for yourself?"

"I don't fuckin' know right now. ..I'm just. ..I want to stand up for myself, but it could fuck things up with his family. ..an' shit ..I'm just so damn confused myself. ..how do you deal with family issues? only issues I had was trying ta hide so Dad couldn't beat on me."

"I can't say I know where he's coming from. I was an only child, if you remember." Rufus was at a loss for what he could tell Reno to do.

"I mean period, yo. ..I never had so much at stake. .." No, he was NOT going to cry, as shitty as he felt, he'd done that ENOUGH over the past few weeks.

"Wait here," Rufus ordered, letting Reno sit on the bench outside the item shop. "Once we get a remedy in you, it'll help you think more clearly."

Reno just sat there, trembling with the effort to maintain a thinly held veil of emotional control.

Rufus returned shortly, holding a tiny bottle filled with potent medicine. "Here," he said, uncorking the bottle and handing it to Reno.

Reno drank it, and his head cleared, but his heart didn't. ..he looked at his ex-lover with those bright green eyes dulled by something like grief. "I hate fightin' with him. ..I really do."

Tseng took another tac. "Just see it from his perspective. ..he's never had a real family before, he has no idea how to handle this sort of thing. ..what he knows is defend himself, with FISTS if necessary. He really needs you more than anything to guide him through this whole thing so he knows what to do."

"I tried," Rude complained, putting his head in his hands. He was getting a headache. "I told him coming here was a mistake."

"Maybe it was. ..he wanted the chance to know a real family, and Eric seems the only one who HASN'T taken to him. . .probably because he can't pull his usual tricks."

"My brother is my brother. I can't change that." Rude seemed to be repeating himself.

"And he is your husband, completely new dynamic. ..what you need to do is take a stand, tell Eriic it will not be tolerated, and if he does it, back it up. ..with force if need be." Tseng spoke from experience on that one.

"He. Is. My. Brother." Rude wished he could make everyone else understand that.

"He is, yes. ..no one wants to harm him, Rude. ..but he needs to be controlled. coralled, before he does true harm."

"It is MY responsibility to do that, not any of yours, or Reno's."

"Then do it." It was all Tseng said.

Reno just shook his head again. "He tries ta take too much on himself, I guess I do too. ..it would be a different thing is Eric actually LISTENED to him, I can already tell he doesn't."

"Things have been set into motion, Reno," Rufus reiterated. "The point will be moot soon enough."

"An' when Eric blabs? He'll be mad at me. ..all over again."

You forget, Reno," Rufus said, a small but dangerous smile crossing his face. "I am sending a Turk. He will know better than to speak."

Reno nods, just looking up at him tiredly. "But how do we solve the troubles in paradise? That's a thornier one. .."

Rufus sighed. "Sometimes there are some things which can't be fixed. Sometimes you have to... agree to disagree, for lack of a better phrase."

Reno nodded again his chin going into his hands, he looked to be thinking. "Maybe it was a bad idea..I love his mom an' dad to death. ..first time. . .I knew what a real family felt like."

Rufus' eyes took on one of those far off looks. "I wish I knew how to help you."

"Yeah, your dad was a buttmunch, too. ..his mom adores you, you know. .. "

"She is a fine woman and has raised two fine sons," he replied.

He suddenly smiled "Wish they'd been mine, yo. ..you've read all the records, you know what mine was like."

"Perhaps then you would have turned out with a sense of decorum," Rufus said good-naturedly, looking at Reno from the corner of his eye.

Reno chucked "I'm a street rat. ..decorum went out the window the day my family fell apart."

"So it did," Rufus replied. He looked pleasantly thoughtful for a moment "However, perhaps you two would not have found each other had things been different."

"I'd prob'ly be some beach rental shop manager or some shit like that now.

"And what do you suppose he would be doing?" Rufus mused.

"Bouncer somewhere prob'ly. .or runnin' like he usedta still, or maybe even dead. ..street rats don't have the best life expectancy."

"Perhaps..." Rufus contemplated. "Or perhaps not. Your husband is a very proud man, Reno, and that pride will, someday, be his downfall. I'm sure you know that."

"Yes sir. .I got no pride left, streets beat it outta me long time ago. Only got this little slicea heaven with him...right now, he wants to carry it all on his shoulders, like ya said, 'sthe pride thing."

It was a roundabout way to get Reno to understand, but it was worth it. "Now do you see why he feels he has to take care of this issue with his brother on his own?"

"Yeah. ..'snot ta say it don't hurt when it hasn't happened yet an' my own hands're tied, though.. I'bve been trained not only by Turk training but life experience that if ya don't kick a problem like Eric in the teeth it will come back ta bite ya."

"The boy seems relatively harmless... a mere prankster," Rufus said. He cut off Reno's protest with a raised hand. "However, you are right. He could become much, much more if left unchecked. Which is why I still had Tseng send someone to... enlighten the boy to the ways of the adult world."

"That prank last night coulda been much much more if Rude hadn't happened to have that tin o' antidote on him, kid didn't think." Reno sighed.

"Most children don't," Rufus said plainly.

"Guess I should go face the music now, eh?"

"If you don't feel well enough to, you can stay with Tseng and I for the evening," Rufus offered.

"Ya think a night away would help him cool off, eh?" He spoke tiredly.. he really didn't want to be away from Rude, but was afraid if he stayed they'd be fighting all night.

"I'm just offering a place to stay if you feel you need a night away," Rufus said plainly. "Whether I think you need one or not is irrelevant. What matters is what YOU think."

"I'll stay with yuou guys, call him an' feel things out. .." He was so terrified of screwing things up, he'd always been afraid of that, which was part of what drove Rude so nuts.

"I'll call Tseng and let him know the situation," Rufus said, taking his phone from his pocket.

"Thanks yo. ..means a lot. 'sonly the second time I've ever been really afraida him, and I don't like the feelin' one bit."

"And the first time was during Meteor, correct?" Rufus inquired. An idea was forming in his mind, and he was certain he could get to the bottom of the pair's problems a lot easier than he originally expected.

"Yes sir.. ."

"Hmm..." Rufus said, lost in thought for a moment. "And never before then has this rage you've described broken away from him?"

"Not directed at me. ..directed at others on occasion, Cloud once, an' a couplea guys thata tried ta hit one me once or twice, but never at me 'cept those two times."

"I see..." Rufus pondered it over a little more. "Perhaps what we're seeing is the proverbial straw that broke the chocobo's back. Lately it has been one issue after another, with little to no downtime between them."

"Too much fightin' in too little time, pretty much...'show I think of it."

Rufus laughed thoughtfully. "As much as we have a hard time believing it, our Rude is just as human as the rest of us, it seems."

"'course the fact that I tend ta lose it under stress don't help, either. .somethin' I've tried workin' on.. .but it ain't easy..he's always been mentally an' emotionally the stronger o' the two of us."

"Don't confuse strength of emotion with the burying of emotions, Reno," Rufus said. "While I will be the first to admit that Rude is rather strong overall, I am fully aware that some of that strength is a show just as much for us as it is for himself."

"Speaks ta how rough these past few monthsa been, though...I think I've cried more this past few months than my entire dang life. "He shakes his head. "We all need vacations."

"Perhaps even a few of us need small vacations from each other," Rufus offered. He certainly hoped the redhead wouldn't take that statement the wrong way.

"Prob'ly do. ." He sighed brokenly now. "Hate bein' so damn needy, I really do. ..Rude's the best thing that's ever come inta my life, no offense meant ta you, o'course" he unconsciously rubs the scar that lies under his hairline. "You n' I if we'd ever gotten this far prob'ly woulda killed each other." he chuckles softly.

"More than likely, pet," Rufus said, lovingly using his pet name for Reno. He reached out and ran a single fingertip across the redhead's cheekbone.

"I'm just so used ta bein ' parta unit, me n' him. ..not sure how well I'd do on my own even for a short amounta time."

"You don't need to be alone to be apart," Rufus explained, his finger moving to trace the redhead's jawline. It was a familiar movement, one he'd done on Reno during the time they had called each other lover. He blinked, then shook his head, realizing just what he was doing. "My apologies."

"'sokay. ..I know what ya mean, though. ..'sjust. ..'sgonna feel funny." He was trying to convey what he meant, and it wasn't easy for this guy who rarely talked about how he felt, humor and insults were what he was good at.

"How long did you say it took for that drug to leave the body?" He asked. Rufus wasn't sure if it was actual residual feelings for the redhead, or if he was still experiencing the effects of the drug.

"12-18 hours sir."

"So we should be in the clear, so to speak?" Rufus didn't want to invite Reno into his and Tseng's room, only to take advantage of the obviously vulnerable redhead.

"Yes sir. .." He nods, "Gods, hate being vulnerable an' shit. thigsa just gotten turned on their damn sides."

Rufus nodded. Good. His own residual feelings he was certain he could control far better than those brought on by a party drug. "Well, we should call Tseng," he said, dialing his phone.

Reno leaned back, nodding.

Tseng answered his ringing phone. "Tseng here, sir."

"Tseng," Rufus said, "Are you still with Rude?"

"Yes sir, how are things where you are, Rufus-san?"

"Things are as well as can be expected," Rufus replied. "I need you to let Rude know that Reno and he will be spending the night without eachother to... cool off. Reno will be staying with us, if he asks."

"I will relay the message, sir." He turns to Rude. "Reno will be staying with us for the night, I tend to agree with Rufus on this, the two of you could use the break from one another."

Rude was still rather intoxicated. After a moment to think over the words, he said, "Fine." With that, he stood and walked back in the direction of the bar.

Reno cringed a little at the tone, but didn't say anything.

A half-nervous laugh left Rufus. "Well, at least he took it better than you would have."

He nodded, but he felt his eyes misting, no, no he was NOT going to. ..he refused.

"You look tired," Rufus said. In all actuality, Reno looked exhausted. "Would you like to head back to the room?"

"Yes sir.." a single tear broke through, he sniffled, dashed it away and got up. ..

Rufus nodded once, then spoke to Tseng, who was still on the line. "We're heading back to the hotel. You can meet us there or keep an eye on our intoxicated friend."

"He's already gone back into the bar Rufus-san."

"I see," Rufus said. "Perhaps that is what he feels he needs."

Reno stumbled his way back to the hotel, he knew he'd probably cry in his sleep, it was when so many of his emotions came out...if he didn't end up screaming his way free of a nightmare.

Rufus followed the redhead at a more steady pace, keeping just enough distance between them to not make it look like the blonde was checking up on him.

He collapsed into the suite's already extended, likely by Tseng, sofa-bed/

"Would you like a drink?" Rufus asked, closing the room's door behind him. He walked over towards the minibar. "To take the edge off, perhaps?"

"Anything but everclear, yo. .." it came out a soft mumble.

A tiny chuckled escaped Rufus. "How about a martini?" he asked, pulling out the metal shaker.

"sounds good. .." He was on the verge of just letting out the past few days right here, but he felt inhibited about doing so in front of his boss and ex,'

Rufus fixed both drinks as if he were a professional bartender, handing one of the glasses to Reno before taking his own. "Cheers," he toasted, raising his glass.

"Yeah. . ." he toasted and with a shuddering breath downed the drink. Everything was so close to the surface, and he had to work to tamp it down.

"I won't think less of you if you cry, Reno," Rufus said, taking glass from the redhead. He walked back to the minibar and began preparing another.

"Yeah, just. . .feels wierd. ..Hell Rude's put up with so much shit from me lately. ..don't wanna dump it on you too."

"You need to let it out," Rufus said, looking over his shoulder as he shook the drink shaker. "We do not need another Rude on our hands."

Reno sighed, gesturing helplessly, he had no idea where or how to start to put all of the crazy, crashing emotions into words.

Rufus ShinRa was a patient man. He could wait for Reno to let it out.

"'sjust. ..I guess I'm afraida drivin' him away. .I know he worries about me, I go off half-cocked n' do stupid, dangerous shit when I'm upset an' don't think about the consequences, I KNOW that.. but it doesn't mean I don't care how it affects others...I do.".

"Rude has always been a 'by the book' Turk," Rufus said, bringing back another drink for Reno. "From what I hear, he wasn't always a rule follower. Perhaps he sees in you a little of his past self, and it scares him."

"Scared I'm gonna drag him back. ..that night at the club. ..the night when I had the arrest and refused to be hospitialized. . .we'd been doin' coke that night. ..it's that sorta thing he's scared of, isn't it?

"The reckless abandon, the substance abuse, it all boils down to a loss of control," Rufus explained, sitting carefully on the bed by Reno. "If there is one thing our Rude is terrified the most of, it's that loss of control."

"I did it ta deal. ..but then again I had a harder timea it than he did...I did it to be numb so I wouldn't hafta FEEL the pain the bastards were inflicting."

"Which was why he delivered more drugs than he used," Rufus added, taking a sip of his drink.

"Life was easier if I was too high or drunk to feel anything. .." He sighed, shaking his head. "Rude n' you are the only ones that have made me WANNA stay clean. .. I feel safe 99 of the time with you two."

"Rude is ashamed of his past," Rufus said. "He sees it as something to strive to get away from, where you have accepting who and what you were. Perhaps he sees in your past little bits of what he could have become. Or perhaps he sees what he detested. Or perhaps none of those at all. Regardless... I know how much of a hard time he gives you about even the over the counter things."

"Yeah, he does. . I'm. ..kinda envious actually. ..he gets to NOT wake up screaming 5 nights outta 10. .."

"He has his demons as well," Rufus said, finishing his first drink. He gestured with his empty glass at Reno's, a question of whether the redhead wanted another or not.

Reno shakes his head, yawning widely, his eyes beginning to flutter open and closed, In truth he felt like stomped shit, both physically and emotionally.

"I see," Rufus said, standing to make himself another drink as he noticed Tseng walk in the door. "Tseng. Would you like a drink?"

"Thank you, Rufus-san." He looked over, he could see the moisture in the younger Turk's eyes but did not comment on it. "This seems to be hurting him more than he wants to let on. ..he always was a stubborn one." he made sure Reno was completely asleep before he spoke.

"Emotionally fragile," Rufus added, handing Tseng a freshly made martini. "How was Rude when you left him?"

"Tense as a bow string."

"Good to see him handling the situation at least as well as his partner," Rufus chuckled, raising his glass in a toast.

Tseng toasted in return. "It's been quite a bad seeveral months for them both."

Reno is letting out soft whimpers in his sleep, it sounds as if he is calling himself all sorts of hateful names. . ."stupid. .so fuckin' stupid."

Rufus raised a finger, as if telling Tseng to hold his thought. He walked quietly over to Reno, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed. His hand went to brush a few stray hairs from the redhead's face as he whispered, "Not stupid, pet... just inexperienced..."

The tears start falling in his sleep, just as he had predicted they would. ."Rude. ..so sorry I drove you away. . .why'd I hafta ta do somethin' so stupid that you went away?" This was not a nightmare to wake him screaming. ..just something that was an effort to sort out everything in his mind.

Rufus fingercombed Reno's hair, gently working out a few knots that had made their way into the mane. He glanced over at Tseng, his eyes telling the older man that he had no freaking clue what to do to comfort Reno.

"Just let him work through it. .it's all we really can do until things calm down. We'll call Rude in the morning and see how things go."

Rufus nodded, placing a soft kiss to Reno's temple before he stood. "What are we going to do with them?"

"I'm as much at a loss as you are. ..it's obvious they love one another very much. ..but Reno is so insecure about driving him away it is possible it will become a self-fulfilling prohecy."

"He needs to trust that Rude loves him," Rufus said, taking a small sip from his drink. "I'm afraid if we lose one of them... we'll lose the other as well."

"It is likely. ..though Reno..if Rude left he'd probably simply give up, if not take active measures toward ending his pain."

"Rude would stay out of duty, eventually partner up again, but I guarantee you he'd hate every moment of it."

"We cannot let that happen, Tseng," Rufus said, tone the most serious it had been in a while. "The Turks are short-handed enough as it is, we do not need to lose two of the most senior members to something like this."

"Honestly sir. .I think a vacation far away from everyone is something they both need desperatly."

"Is there anywhere on this planet that is far enough away for them?" Rufus asked.

"There is that small island just off Mideel. .it has only one house, and that house has been abandoned for years."

"But is Mideel remote enough?" Rufus wondered. 


	28. Chapter 28

"It will have to be enough..." Tseng sighed, shaking his head as the redhead turned over, curling up into the smallest ball he could. ..sure sign he was not himself.

Rufus sighed. "I suppose you're right."

Reno woke up 3 hours later, completely awake, not that he wasn't tired, it was simply that he couldn't sleep anymore. ..He looked out the window toward Gladys' place, wondering if Rude had ever gone home the previous night.

Rude had managed to stumble back to his mother's house, closing the bar for the first time in as long as he could remember since hooking up with Reno. However, he hadn't made it actually INSIDE the house, only to the large front porch swing, which was rather comfortable anyway.

Reno had to chuckle softly when he saw the big figure sitting on the porch swing, even though it was one that sounded a little hollow. .."You rest, big guy. ..wish I could. ..but when we're fightin' it's hard ta wanna do mucha anything not work related."

A snort and a snore was all the response Reno got from Rude. That, and the bald man sliding down the back of the swing to lay across the seat. Thank the gods for warm Costan nights, otherwise he'd be freezing certain parts of his anatomy off.

Reno had the itch to go out, tiptoe across, and lift Rude's head to let it rest in his lap, but was still unsure how the big man would react when he awakened.. ..usually he'd do it without hesitation, but with the past couple of times of being blown up at, he was feeling a bit tentative about it.

Another snore and an attempted roll over caused Rude to fall right off the hanging swing. He crashed onto the wooden porch, standing up quickly with a "Wha?" and looking around, eyes trying to focus.

Reno finally did step outside, his steps slow, tentative. ..just enough for Rude to see him, his head bowed. ..he wasn't sure what to say.

"Who...?" Rude had to look over his sunglasses and tilt his head just so to make the alcohol-induced fuzzy image become somewhat clear. "Reno?" he paused, "What are you doing here?"

"Stayed with the boss. ..you. .don't remember last night at all?"

"Parts," Rude muttered, moving to sit back on the swing. However, being a hanging swing, it slid back as he tried to sit on it, causing him to somehow end up flat on his back, looking at the bottom of said swing. "Fuck. Too drunk."

Reno held the swing for him, then sat himself, he was still tentative, not sure how much of an overture he should make. .."I hate feelin' like this, you know. .know I've been sendin' ya mixed signals. ..boss set me straight on that... " it was all he dared to say, feeling him out, making sure he wouldn't cause another explosion.

"'Bout time you figured that out," Rude said, his face suddenly turning a little white. He held up a finger as if to say 'hold that thought', went over to the porch railing, and emptied the contents of his stomach on his mother's snapdragons. Gladys was NOT going to be happy about that.  
M Reno just shook his head, rubbing Rude's back gently, his motions again tentative, but he knew if he didn't make the overtures, it wouldn''t happen.

A tiny moan left Rude's throat unbidden. He hadn't gotten that drunk in ages, and he was starting to remember why.

"m'sorry ..'bout everything. ..you scare me when you get like that, y'know. ..stayed away 'cause I was afraid if I came home we'd end up fightin' all night.

"We would have," Rude answered, pausing a moment to try to spit the nasty taste in his mouth out. Oh yes, Gladys was going to be PISSED.

He resisted the urge to hug him. .."How much of it is the stress though. .an' how much. ..is jus' us? that's what scares me most."

Rude shrugged, leaning slightly. He briefly wondered if one leg was getting shorter than the other. It wasn't just alcohol he'd managed to find at the bar...

Reno didn't answer except to say "Talk about when you're sober, right. .." half-helping, half-carrying him in, lthen into the vbed.

Rude nodded, even though he was pretty sure it wasn't a question that came from Reno's mouth. Argh, he just needed to sleep it off... and feel like absolute shit in the morning.

"You sleep. .I'm gonna shower and get you some coffee, then I'm gonna pick you uup an elixer to kill the morning hangover and we are GONNA talk.

A single hand raised in a 'yeah, whatever, just let me sleep' motion as Rude rolled over to do just that.

Reno headed into the shower. .his hair still had the gunk from the bad breath he'd been hit with. ..his motions were a little wooden, though. ..this was what RUDE should be doing. ..when had things gone so insanely wrong? He then went out to the store and purchased a single elixer for Rude's hangover and a can of the hazelnut coffee they both liked. ..when Rude awakened he would find the cup of coffe just the way he liked it sitting on the table as a peace offering.

With a sound reserved only for good sex and good coffee, Rude moaned as he opened his eyes, looking for where that wonderful smell was coming from. He saw the mug on the nightstand and took a drink. Perfect. With the exception of the tiny imps that seemed to like doing road construction behind his eyes.

The elixer would be sitting next to the coffee. . .and the smell of choclate chip pancakes and bacon would soon be filling the air.

The smell of food brought the taste of bile to the back of his throat as he fought the urge to vomit. He declined the elixer, recapping the small bottle. Rude deserved how he was feeling. It was his penance. He took another sip of the coffee then wandered downstairs.

"You look like stomped shit, yo. ..and yes, take the elixer, I need you to be clear headed, yo."

Rude shook his head. He would deal. It wasn't his place to take Reno's kindness when he'd been so... for lack of a better word, mean to the redhead the day before.

Reno sighed, eating his pancakes, drinking his coffee. "We got lots ta talk about, you sure you're up to alla this when you're as hungover as I know you gotta be?"

Rude nodded, reaching out and claiming a piece of bacon.

Reno ate in silence, not tense really, more. ..nervous.

Well, the bacon managed to stay in his stomach, so Rude decided to see what would happen with a single pancake.

Reno went for a second helping. ..nervous eating. ..which didn't help much, and one wondered why he'd never gain any weight when he ate the way he did when he was upset.

The pancake... was good. Rude mentally breathed a sigh of relief. He finished the rest of his coffee and stood to get another cup, taking Reno's cup to refill it as well.

"Thanks yo" he mumbled. The pancakes were Reno's mom's special recipe, one of the few pleasent memories he had.

Rude grunted and nodded, a typical Rude-speak 'you're welcome'. He sat back down, daring another two pieces of bacon.

Reno waited until Rude had a relatively full stomach and a few cups of coffee before he pinned Rude's eyes, noticing he had a slight crack in his sunglasses, but he didn't say anything.

Rude just stared back. He was not going to be the first one to speak. If it were up to him, they'd just go on as if nothing happened.

"I guess. ..I wanna be sure once all o' this is over. ..this won't happen again. .. like I said, you scare me when you get like that.. .both times it's happened, though I figure I got it pretty decent. ..at least you don't hit. But we can't go on as if nothing happened, you know that. .." He sighed, turning away a second. "If we don't work it out, figure out why it's happenin', it's gonna keep happenin'. ... ignorin' it's not gonna fix it."

Rude wanted to say that ignoring had been working well enough up until now, so why stop something that seemed to be working, with only the occassional flaw? He sighed. "There's nothing to 'fix'," he said, finding his coffee to be far better to look at than Reno at the moment.

"You don't think last night says that?" He was NOT going to get mad, nor was he going to get weepy. .no, no. . .he was going to keep his head. ..even though he had the urge to say 'get your head outta the fuckin' sand, aibou'.

"I have a temper..." Rude said, speaking as if it were explaination enough.

"So do I. ..but not like that. .." He shook his head again not sure what else to say. "I wanna make sure. ..we stay cool."

"we cool," Rude said, hoping Reno would just leave it at that. He didn't want to discuss it any further.

Reno looked into his coffee. ..he wanted to, he wanted to get it out in the open, chew the problem apart until he could find a solution. But he knew Rude.. .Rude buried things, "Ya know. .part o'why things get like this might be beacsue you bury it insteada tryin' ta figure shit out. ..but. ..it's. ..just so." He extended a hand to his husband.

"Let it work itself out," Rude said. There was the epitome of Costan upbringing. Why worry about things? Everything works itself out in the end anyway. However, instead of the laid back, traditional Costan attitude Rude had as a child, as an adult he chose to take it one step further, burying whatever was bothering him, keeping his emotions in check until the thing worked itself out or ate him up inside then worked itself out. Either way, it worked itself out.

Reno on the other hand had been in a situation growing up where if you didnt fix a problem it usually came around to bite you in the ass later.

That he held a rage just under his calm exterior, Rude didn't deny. He did, however, deny that his bottling up of problems were the cause of it. No, the original cause of it was rooted far back in his past, however, feelings of helplessness and unintentional loss of control tended to either fuel it further or release it all together.

"You know a lotta about why I 'm the way I am. ..but I don't know much about the reasons for. ..why you are the way you are."

And Rude wanted to keep it that way. "Safer," he said plainly. And it was, safer for all of them if he just stayed the way he was, no one really knowing everything about him... himself included, sometimes.

"Safer why? We're married, Rude, I'm suppsed ta know more than just the damn surface!" Yes, he was pushing, and he knew it. ..but it was dreiving him crazy. ..not knowing why Rude bottled himself away.. .he wanted to understand.

"You do," Rude said plainly. Stubborn as a mule, he was.

Reno huffed, sitting down ..then quietly "No. ..I don't. .no one does. .."

Which went back to Rude feeling it was safer that way. However, he couldn't just let the redhead sit there and pout. "You know more about who I am than I do, some days," he offered.

Reno nodded. ..seeming. ..somewhat mollified. ..but inside he was feeling more than a bit miffed. ..again the feeling that Rude didn't trust him creeping in. . .but that didn't stop him from reaching over for a kiss. ..trying to restablish some equalibriam.

Rude returned the kiss, only grimacing once as the imps doing road contruction in his head started up the jackhammer again.

"Here, at least take a couplea aspirin. ..don't needya havin' that headache the whole day."

Rude mumbled a 'thank you', taking the asprin with what remained of his coffee.

"Welcome, yo." Suddenly that feeling of tension eased. ..he leaned onto Rude's shoulder...sighing.

Rude breathed evenly, happy and relieved that he and Reno were done discussing his 'issues'. At least for the time being.

"I love you, yo. ..but I think. ..we really just need time AWAY from all of this."

"Love you," Rude replied, nodded at Reno's assessment. Yes, it was probably what they needed. However, they couldn't leave the President...

"He's got Tseng with him, yo. ..you know he won't let anything happen to the boss.

"I know," Rude said, but leaving for any time longer than the standard week made him feel like he was shirking his duties as a Turk.

An envelope was slipped under the door of the house, one which Gladys noted and picked up. "Boys, this is for you."

Rude frowned. Who, other than his immediate family and his employer, knew they were here?

Inside were two airship tickets and gil to buy whatever supplies they would need. "This is for you to take a vacation. ..and that is an ORDER Rude." was written in Rufus' elegent hand. ..the tickets were for Mideel, where they would be met by a sailing vessel to the little island just south.

Rude's frown deepened. Great. A vacation. He was just eager to get back to work and back to some semblance of normality.

Reno oon the other hand thought it was just what the doctor ordered. ..no more stress. ..time to gain some sense of equilibriam before heading back into the fray.

"When are we leaving?" Rude asked, wondering how much more time he would be able to spend in his hometown.

"Says here same time Tseng, Elena, an' the boss head back ta Healin."

Rude nodded. That meant they had until the end of the week.

Suddenly another tiny explosion of red hair on the back of a black and white cuahl races past their window, heralded by a yelp from Gladys. "Sakes alive, child! You shouldn't be riding that thing!" Which of course drew a groan fron reno. ."Livewire. ..how'd YOU get outta the room, and Em, what're you doin' in Costa?"

"Tifa's here with Denzel and Marlene" she replied, she had a pink swimsuit on with a pink frill in the front. "I saw Uncle Tseng's car outsidea the hotel and wanted ta see everyone.. .You uncle Rude's momma?" She looked at Gladys.

Rude swore he'd just had a tiny heart attack at the appearance of the cuahl and child. Two things he wasn't totally comfortable with suddenly appearing like magic? It would give you a little heart attack, too.

"Yes, I am. .." her look at Rude says "Uncle?"

"We got ice cream, if ya want some, kiddo." He motioned to livewire however. "You, stay outside" before leading Em into the kitchen, getting her down a bowl, and scooping her out some ice cream.

"Emily is Reno's cousin... neice... no, cousin," Rude explained. "And... well... it was just easier having her call me Uncle..."

"Another Meteor orphan" Reno explained.

Rude glanced outside to see the cuahl laying on the porch swing, already asleep. "Cats..." he mumbled.

"So that's Livewire. .." Gladys smiled. "he's a handsome thing."

Rude nodded, gesturing for his mother to follow him into the kitchen. "So... where's Elena?" He figured the little redhead would know, considering how Elena, once everthing settled down, was going to be responsible for her.

"She went ta get some breakfast for me an Uncle Tseng and Uncle Rufus. ..dey were busy. ..dey were makin' some awful funny noises."

Rude's eyes widened as his mouth opened in shock.

Reno suddenly burst out laughing. "Man, you should see your face.

Rude was speechless. There really was nothing he could say at that moment that wouldn't be taken totally out of context by Reno.

Reno just winked at him and dipped himself some chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream, drizzling chocolate and marshmellow sauces and

"You're going to rot your teeth," Rude mentioned, nearly balking at the amount of sugar Reno was planning on ingesting.

"You're not afraida my teeth, you're afraida the resultant sugar rush." Reno jabbed his tongue out at Rude.

"When you need dentures, don't come crying to me," Rude said. And he was not afraid of the sugar rush. He was afraid of the resulting sugar crash.

"You love the crashes too, you know it. "And the look through hooded eyes he tossed Rude was positively SUGGESTIVE.

The look Rude tossed back screamed 'not in front of the kid.'

Reno just chuckled, Em was now too busy playing ball on the floor with the cuahl that had followed a just-arrived Sam inside to notice or care.

Sam paused, looking from the little redheaded girl to Reno, then over to Rude, then back to the girl, then back to Reno. "Yours?" he asked, face clearly showing confusion.

"Nah, m'cousin from Midgar. .gonna be 'Lena's."

Sam sat down, stealing a bite from Reno's bowl of ice cream. "Who's Lena?"

"Elena, female co-worker..I could introduce you."

Sam raised an eyebrow at the exact same time that Rude did. Related? Them? Never. "What's she look like?" he asked.

"Slender, blond, bita spitfire, but you'd probably like her."

Making sure that the little redhead couldn't see him, Sam gestured at his chest. Appears being a boob-man was also genetic.

"Eh, she's not bad in that depeartmenyt, if you can get her outta the uniform." he chuckles, the double breasted suits they wore DID tend to hide the assests.

Sam nodded appreciatively. He already had a mental picture in his head. "So... when's she coming here?" he asked.

"Soon's, I call her."

Sam nearly knocked the chair over he was sitting in as he stood quickly. He could be heard running up the stairs, followed by the shower being turned on shortly thereafter.

Rude just stood there, shaking his head.

"Heh, they're both single.. .just call me the love doctor." In the meantime he's on the phone to Elena.

"I missed you guys!" One could hear Elena's grin over the phoneline.

"I got soneone I wantcha meet, 'Lena. ..he's Rude's brother. ..and he's a real nice guy."

"You are not setting me up with one of those overweight, never been laid types, are you?" Elena teased. However, there was a slight bit of truth to her statement. Once, Reno did set her up with a 'real nice guy'... who was also a 'real big guy'. Elena? Shallow? Only sometimes.

"He's built like Rude, 'Lena, he's SOLDIER."

Elena made an appreciative noise. "Hair?" she asked. She loved Rude dearly, but she wasn't into the bald look.

"military cut, dark."

"Sounds nice..." Elena replied. "Now, be honest... would you do him?" She trusted Reno's opinion on men.  
M Reno blushed over the phone, he wasn't about to say he had so he just said "In a heartbeat."

She purred over the phone. It'd been a little longer than she'd like to admit since she'd gotten to know anyone -- other than herself -- personally.

"come'n over, Em'as here too, she says hi."

"Will do," Elena replied before hanging up. She fluffed her hair a little as she walked, a slight bounce to her step.

Sam came back down the stairs, skin still a little flushed from the shower... and maybe a little something else. "She here yet?" he asked. He was dressed in a dark blue tank top with a white button up shirt left unbuttoned over it and a pair of knee length, not too loose, not too tight jean shorts.

Rude raised an eyebrow.

Reno answered the knock at the door. "He's right in here.

Elena stopped Reno before they took another step towards the kitchen. "How do I look?" she whispered, tugging slightly on her hair.

"You're fine, 'Lena, better than fine, you're actually outta the uniform."

When Sam saw the blonde enter the kitchen, he had to make it a point not to let his jaw drop. Her lavender t-shirt hugged her curves just right, and the chocolate brown capris she wore showed off her assets... literally. And the white flip-flops with the flowers on them? A cute touch. "Hi," he said, finding that it was the extent of his current command of the English language.

"Hey there. ..Reno was right. .you ARE hot,"

Rude shot Reno a look, followed by a similar one to Elena, that clearly screamed 'WHAT!'

Sam's face instantly went red. Reno had said that about him? Okay, so the redhead was married to his brother, and there was the token family resemblence, but... wow.

Reno giggled a bit. "'strue, yo."

Elena is instantly at the kitchen table, gesturing Samm to sit, she had a little bag in her hand that had sunscreen and her. .rather revealing swimsuit, the one she had continually used at company pool parties to get Tseng's attention before she discovered he was. .otherwise inclined.

"Reno..." was all Rude could say. If Elena kept it up, she might get her name said in that head shaking fashion as well.

Sam sat quickly next to the blonde, looking at her much like a dog who was being trained with a piece of bacon as a reward.

"Hey, give 'em some space." He gestured Rude out of the kitchen so the two could have some privacy to get to know one another

As Rude followed Reno from the room, he asked quietly, "Think he'll be all right?"

"I think he will be, Elena's a good person you know. .and if we ain't raisn' her, there's no man I'd trust more with Em than Sam."

Rude nodded, glancing back just once to see Elena place her hand on Sam's thigh. His eyes widened and he moved even faster away from the room. It was not something he needed to see.

Reno planted a kiss flush on Rude's mouth right there. .he was actually happy now..the tension having fled for now.

To say Rude was surprised by the kiss would be an understatement. He thought, briefly, that they were still fighting. Oh well. He was not one to look a gift Reno in the mouth.

"No more fightin'" he whispered. "I hate when we do."

Rude nodded, pulling Reno flush with himself.

Reno leaned against his shoulder, only shivering slightly as the last of the emotion released itself.

"We have two more days here," Rude mumbled into Reno's hair. "Got anything you want to do?"

"Spend it with you, yo...but I'd love ta go dancin'. ..without the brawl this time, last time we had a brawl didn't turn out too good."

"What kind of music are you in the mood for?" he asked. He could name, off the top of his head, at least two techno clubs, at least four native Costan clubs, and one country bar, even though Rude hated country.

"Techno, yo. ." He didn't NOT want to do metal again. .he had bad memories from a metal club.

Rude nodded. He knew just the place to take Reno. On the outside, the club looked like a warehouse, but on the inside, it was rather posh and high class... not their usual place to hang out. It would be something different, for a change.

"Now, I need ta see if I have my leather pants here, yo. .."

"The place I want to go is classy," Rude mentioned, wondering if his white cotton pants would still fit him. Probably not. Damn. He might just have to go

"Gotcha.. .and I know my linen won't fit, yo. ..dropped too much weight in alll that mess, an' haven't gained enougha it back yet."

Rude tsked, leading Reno upstairs. There had to be something here he could wear without having to go shopping with Reno.

He found his black silk shirt and white cotton pants, which as Rude gad predicted hung off him. .. he cursed doftly. "I know ya hate shoppin', was hopin' ta spare ya"  
m Rude sighed. "Fine," he said, turning to walk back downstairs.

Reno 15 minutes later was inside the clothing store with Rude. ..he already had a sharp pair of white linen pants and a black silk shirt.

Rude had gone the sophisticated route, choosing a pair of light grey dress slacks, a black dress shirt, and a white vest. He added a pair of black dress shoes, as his were starting to wear out. Best to purchase them then instead of having to make another trip in a week. He even splurged on a pair of expensive sunglasses.

Reno also picked up a thick pair of Celtic style hoops

"This everything?" Rude asked, carrying their purchases to the checkout line.

"Yeah, yo. .kept it simple."

Rude smiled, happy they were almost done shopping. When the counter girl handed him their bags and his change, he nodded to her and followed Reno out of the shop.

Reno strode out, going upstairs to get dressed, he'd left his hair loose again. . the earrings in. ..he looked, in a word, HOT.

Rude walked around Reno once, taking in the redhead's attire. With a sly smile, he walked past him towards the stairs, pausing only a moment to smack Reno on the ass.

Reno simply waggled his eyebrows at his husband, reaching around for a quick grop

Rude dressed quickly and efficiently, adding only his black belt, an additional pair of silver rings, and small black laquer hoops in each of his earring holes.

When evening came, Elena and Sam were already out, and Reno waited downstairs for Rude.

Rude was rummaging through his old dresser, searching for the other half of his pair of simple silver cufflinks.

"If yer lookin' for your other cufflink it's under the table down here, yo, do NOT ask me how it got there:

Rude rolled his eyes, taking the stairs down two at a time. He got the cufflink from under the table, put it on, then looked at Reno. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Rude nodded before leading Reno out the door. The club itself wasn't far from his parents house, so it didn't take long for them to get there. With a simple flash of their Turk IDs both men were inside the club far ahead of the line.

Reno took in the lights. .and the music, he had waded into the crowd almost too quickly to follow, a bright smile on his face. ..he was in his element tonight.

Rude smiled, keeping an eye on Reno as he walked towards the bar. He spoke quickly and quietly with the bartender, who pointed out the owner for him. Within minutes of speaking with the man, he had managed to get them a private, VIP booth complete with a burgandy velvet curtain that could be closed around the booth.

Reno's voice rang out again.. ..shades of Kalm? No, not this time. ..instead of tearing the place down. ..one good sucker punch to the gut that left the idiot gasping and bent over was enough to convince him to keep his hands to himself. .. Reno waded out of the crowd not looking hurt, or even the least bit haunted, but rather he had an almost haughty air about him, "Idiot grabbed my ass, told him to get his hands off and he pinched it, so I cocked him in the gut, doubt I'll have any more trouble outta him."

Rude just smiled, patting the velvet covered seat next to him. To say he looked damn sharp sitting there, the way he was dressed, would be the understatment of the century. "They're bringing us a bottle of cognac," he said offhandedly.

"Love that stuff, an' you know it. .it's our celebratory stuff, ya know."

Rude leaned over, his breath ghosting over Reno's exposed ear. "If you're interested, they'll Mako lace it..." Too much of the lifestream-like substance tended to make Rude rather mean, but a little of it here and there was better than any aphrodisiac that could possibly be found on the market.

"Oh yeah. . .we can also draw the curtain an'. .Gods you know me too well, babe.."

Rude caught the bartender's eye, then tapped his finger on the table twice, indicating that yes, he would like the 'house special.' When the man brought it over, he first set down two brandy snifters, the insides of which were covered in what looked like a crystalline green gel. Then he presented the bottle for inspection, and at Rude's nod, opened it. He poured a double shot into each snifter, then set the bottle on the table and took his leave. Rude took his finger and got just a little of the green gel on his finger, wiped it across Reno's lips, and kissed him, feeling the tingle of the Mako on his lips.

Reno's eyes fluttered slightly at the effect of it as it sped his heartbeat. ..his linen pants already beginning to tighten. ...

Rude pulled away first, a chuckle coming from deep within his chest. He raised his snifter for a toast, swirling the cognac around to absorb more of the Mako.

Reno took 3 sips off the glass and as he did his face flushed a delicate pink. ..his breathing beginning to speed as well. ..the pulse in that elegant ivory column of his throat visible. . .he leaned over and kissed Rude as they drew the curain.

Another chuckle came from Rude. "Eager?" he asked, taking another sip from his glass.

"Oh baby. ..you don't klnow. .how eager..an.." there was so much emotion in that voice, it wasn't sheer lust. .far from. ..though the mako was certainly stirring that. ..it was...the complete sealing of a connection he felt had been severed. ..that reconnection was weak as yet, but with tender care it would grow stronger. his head tilted to allow his tounge to dance across Rude's still cognac-flavored lips and inside. .. the taste of that mouth absolutely glorious.

Rude's hand slid out, his fingers barely brushing Reno's leg before he gently, almost imprecivably, cupped the hardness hidden by those white pants.

A soft gasp was left out into Rude's mouth. ..just the tiniest hitch of breath.

"Just to take the edge off," Rude mumbled, moving Reno until the redhead was seated on the table. He unfastened his partner's pants, freeing him.

"I love you..Gods. ." the words were whispered as the air stirred a star tinged electric buzzing along his nerves.

"Don't plan on going home just yet," Rude mumbled, leaned over to flick his tongue across Reno's head. "Didn't get to dance with you yet." Without further warning, he took the redhead to the hilt, happy he could get his gag reflex to relax on command for once.

Reno shuddered, biting his arm to muffle the soft moan that was drawn from him..his fingers scrabbling across the bald skull for purchase. .."you do me so fuckin' good. "  
m Rude pulled back, pausing to take a drink of the cognac and holding just a little of the Mako laced beverage in his mouth as he took Reno in again, only halfway this time.

Reno let out a muffled roar against his arm as his back arched in autonamic response. .to the tingle along his nerves from the mako. ..when his arm was freed from his mouth his head tilted back, his mouth dropping open, eyes clenched closed as his entire limber frame shuddered. he grabbed on again, holding on for dear life. .."R-rude,,Gods. ." the old stutter, but this time. .in a time not of stress but of absolute mind-blowing pleasure. .. his brain's higher function began shutting down as his limbic system stook over.

Rude swallowed the liquid with Reno still in his mouth, not an easy feat. He paused to say, "Come for me," before going back to trying to devour the redhead.

Reno as he said that, put his head down into Rude's shoulder, gasping, panting, letting out a sobbing shout as he shuddered and spiilled into his mate's mouth. .his body as tight as high tension wire. .his skin still pink.. . he spoke Rude's name in an awed tone as he began to come down from the heights. 


	29. Chapter 29

Licking his lips, Rude offered a "Tuck yourself back in," before he stood to open the velvet curtains. The night was still young, and this club was open until the wee hours of the morning.

Reno did so, heading out of the curtain and back into the lights and smoke and music of the club, licking his lips, nerves still pleasently buzzing.

Rude chose to finish his first drink before joining the crowd. He liked the buzz this time... Perhaps the last few times he'd done the drug it wasn't as pure as the shit they served at the club.

For Reno the mako dissolved his inhibitions, removing his fear of casual touch, turning him into a creature of sheer sensation. . .he waded out into the crowd on the floor, bumping a hip here, casting a wide smile and a brush of an arm there, he'd never go so far as to have sex with anyone else without Rude's permission, but he touched and accepted touch freely when buzzed on the stuff.

Rude raised his glass in a gesture towards the bartender, waiting until he caught the man's attention. He set his glass on the table, then made a smoking gesture. He wanted a pair of fine cigars at the table upon his return, and the bartender nodded and smiled. He mouthed the word 'newlyweds?', only to have Rude smile slightly and move his hand in a 'sort of' motion. With that, he made his way towards the writhing redhead on the dancefloor.

Reno turned as he felt a pair of strong arms encase him and looked up at Rude with a soft, sexy grin. .it was during these times he looked almost feminine while at the same time his body, rock hard with lean muscle and a hint of rib, told differently. He leaned back for a kiss, those laughing eyes pinning Rude's through the shades. So this is why Reno had gotten so addicted to the rock. ...

Rude leaned forward to claim Reno's mouth, his tongue slipping past those lips as he ground his arousal against the back of the redhead's pants.  
Reno ground right back, soft gasp passing his lips. "You feel like you have a problem there, love."

"Nothing you can't fix," Rude replied, body moving against Reno's to the rhythm of the music.

Reno's smile grew almost secretive and he whispered. "It's too bad I'm not wearing my leather. I'd be able to fix it right here with none the wiser."

"You're a Turk," Rude teased, letting one hand slide from Reno's neck down to his waist, holding the redhead tightly against him as he ground his hips forward. "Improvise."

Reno kept his hips grinding, his hand reaching in between, releasing Rude's cock from it's prison. "Why do you think I chose white, yo?" He kept the linnen clad ass mpoving, then turned around so Rude could free his just enough.

"Because you're virginal and pure?" Rude teased.

"Nah, because the cumstains don't show." He chuckled darkly now as he rubbed himself against Rude, their crotches covered, with this crowd no one would be the wiser to what they were doing.

A tiny gasp left Rude's lips. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been that hard. And Reno did have a point. Everyone on the dancefloor was either too drunk or high to notice anything, and if they did, they wouldn't comment. Rude felt his piercing catch against Reno slightly, causing another tiny gasp.

Reno gasped as well, but continued their sensual little dance. ..They could probbaly strip and fuck on the floor and none would be the wiser but the bounces.

Rude agreed with Reno's assessment, and with as much as he was spending that evening, he was certain even the bouncers would look the other way, if not hand over sufficient lubrication at the critical moment. Speaking of, he noticed that the cigars he'd ordered had made their way to their booth. He smiled, gesturing with his head towards said booth while he worked on putting himself back in his pants.

Reno did so as well, heading back to the table for his cigar.

Rude pulled a pair of fine, hand rolled cigars from the small humidor that sat on the table. Using the clippers, he clipped the ends of two of them, handing one to Reno with the pack of matches. "Pull the curtain," he said, voice dropping into a slight growl.

Reno slid it closed, that growl meant one thing. ..it was going to be quick, rough, and mind-blowing, just as he liked it when buzzed like this.

Rude lit his cigar, taking a few thoughtful puffs before catching Reno's gaze again. "Take your pants off," he ordered.

Reno divested himself of them very quickly, his round bottom in the air now as he bent over the booth, never dropping the cigar.

He took a moment to just gaze at the scenery. Reno really was a piece of work, and were he not a Turk, Rude was certain the redhead could've been a model or something. He took another thoughtful puff from the cigar, his free hand tracing fingers across the flesh presented to him.

That flesh under Rude's fingers shuddered as his nerves fired at the touch, with the volume of the music he could shout and no one would hear him, a thing both scary, considering the number of murders that had occured inside this club, and thrilling.

Rude stood, unfastening his pants and letting them drop to his ankles. He used the non-lit end of his cigar to trace meaningless patters over Reno's flesh while he dipped his finger into his refilled snifter.

Reno moaned, deep inside his belly. ..his body on fire. .."touch me. ..take me. ." he whispers.

Rude chuckled as a few stray ashes fell along Reno's spine. He knew they weren't hot, but for some reason, it made him laugh anyway. He swirled his finger around the edges of the glass, picking up some of the Mako gel that lined the edges.

Reno's hips moved in that sensual manner they had when he was like this..

Holding his finger up for his own inspection, Rude flicked his tongue out to taste the Mako and cognac combination before slowly pressing the finger against Reno's entrance. "Ever been fucked with Mako?" he asked, unsure as to whether or not he really wanted to know the answer, but a little too out of his normal state of mind to care.

Reno shook his head, but he'd heard . ..that it left a biting sting almost on the skin, but as the sting faded it fired the nerves the way potions did.

At that head shake Rude pressed his finger forward, not stopping until he was buried to the knuckle.

Reno gasped . ..his body shaking, then a soft groan as his body fought to take the invader in yet deeper...his gut felt to be burning for several long moments. ..until the stinging burn faded and a warmth spread through his nerves. ..body turning pink as the blood flowed closer under the skin. .."Fuck me, Gods. ..fuck me now. .

Rude's finger twisted, coating Reno's insides with the Mako/cognac mixture. He took another puff from his cigar before removing that finger and placing himself against Reno's opening. "How does it feel?" he asked, taking another puff.

Reno had no words for the way his nerves lit up. ..just hitching moans as the sensation came close to stealing his breath completely, as it had robbed him of all conscious thought. .. he fElt like phoenix with the way he burned with need and so many other sensations.

After a slight pause for thought and another puff, Rude pushed himself roughly into the redhead below him, not stopping until he was buried to the hilt.

Reno let out a harsh cry, it burned for a moment as his flesh stretched to accomadate the rough entry, but the sting only raised his arousal even higher, as the weeping rod against the leather of the booth attested to.

Rude didn't wait for Reno's muscles to finish fluttering delicately over him. He pulled nearly all the way out of his partner before thrusting back in, just as forcefully.

Reno as the sting left him began moaning with each thrust, the leather against him driving things higher. .

Rude began rocking harshly into and out of Reno, trying to make sure his piercing touchED the redhead in all the right places. The ashes from his cigar were scattering across the booth's table from his jarring movements.

Reno WAS letting out mewling moans with each thrust, meeting them with one of his own, not caring about the tiniest bit of blood that stained the piercing from the initial entry, the sensation added to the pleasure he was feeling. ..his body pulsing around Rude as he was driving closer.

Rude had the oddest thought cross his mind directly before orgasm claimed it: just why did he keep that metal bar in his cock anyway? And why was he wearing it in more and more?

Reno let out a loud shriek as his head reared back. ..his mouth foring a grimace of sheer lust-fired bliss as his body rocked, then locked up, he spewed over the burgundy leather, leather he was sure had seen plenty of spillage of seed on top of it.

Rude somehow managed to keep himself somewhat standing. As he pulled himself from the redhead's body, he took another puff from his cigar, noticing that it was already half gone.

Reno let out a last soft gasp as Rude pulled himself free. ..sending one last spasm through his body. ..he got his pants back on rather shakily.

Tseng meanwhile had been going through the local police records, searching for something to make his agent's target more willing even to co-operate when something he found made those almond shaped eyes go wide. .. an arrest record for an Urar. .but not Eric. ..one for assault with a deadly weapon. ..Eric was the victim of said assault. "Did you. ..know about this, Rufus-san?"

"Know about what, Tseng?" Rufus asked, standing up, stretching and showing off just a little bit of belly in his casual outfit of tailored jeans and a green t-shirt.

Tseng shows him the arrest record. ..one from 8 years before. ..Rude's mugshot even then clearly recognizable.

"I was not informed of this charge, no," Rufus answered, taking the file from Tseng's hands. The other charges, the drugs, the assaults, the breaking and enterings... but not that one in particular.

"I had to dig deep to find it. ..it. ..explains a lot."

"So it does..." Rufus said thoughtfully, reading through the file and pacing back and forth within the room. "It claims he did 90 days, then left town for work related reasons... Tseng, how old was Rude when he joined the Turks?"

"He joined 8 years ago. ..a year before Reno sir, 6 months after these charges were cleared."

"I see..." Rufus frowned. Rude had been hired just six months after the charges were filed, he did 90 days... which meant the bald man had been out of jail for three months before his hire date. He flipped the folder in his hands shut. "I want copies of Rude and Eric's entire histories. I want the name and number for the arresting officer, as well as the judge, for this offence. I believe we may have a timebomb on our hands..."

"Yes sir. ." He goes trhough the rest on the records on the computer, finding the arresting officer, Eric's long arrest record. .."Officer Daniels, and his phone number is here, sir." He handed the printed out record with the name and phone number.  
Rufus sat down, pulling a highlighter out from the pencil holder on the desk. He began highlighting coinciding dates on the two brothers' arrest records. "When was Reno and Rude's last psych evaluation?" he asked, hoping it wasn't that long ago... and wondering just how one could hide something like this from a trained professional.

"Reno's was a year ago, sir, when he was prescribed the SSRI's after the plate drop. Rude's was around the samee time. He was cleared as fit for duty."

Rufus' frown deepened. "How was a man with that much rage buried in him cleared fit for duty?" he mumbled, pulling out the required psychicatric examination from the incident in question.

"He keeps it in tight rein sir, he always has. ..He was there for his partner in every way possible during that time."

Rufus was silent, reading the evaluation in front of him. His question was rhetorical anyway... not that it ever stopped Tseng from answering.

"And once all outlets for his rage that the job provides are gone sir? What then?"

"Then, Tseng," Rufus said, eyes hard as he looked his lover in the eye. "I believe we have done our fair Reno a great disservice by sending him to spend extended time alone with him."

"Perhaps so. ..we need to nip this sir. ..force him to face the problems head on. ..denying the problem exists does not make it go away."

"I know this," Rufus replied, going back over the psych report and highlighting certain things. He paused. "I also want an appointment with the woman who did this evaluation. Tomorrow. Morning if you can swing it."

"Yes sir. " He is immediatly on the phone, he caught her just before she went to bed, when he hung up he turned to Rufus "Tomorrow, 9 am sir."

"Good," Rufus said with a nod. He highlighted another line of the report, then looked up. "Rude must be treated with extreme caution until we can get this settled, Tseng. He's been domestically violent before, and the last thing we need is him doing so on a man who believes he deserves whatever beatings he gets."

"Yes sir. .." Tseng seemed to drop into thought for a moment. .."It mnight be a good thing they've been under this stress, sir. . .we might not have caught this until it was too late otherwise." By too late of course he meant one Turk dead at the hands of one he thought he could trust with his life and much, much more.

Rufus wondered idly if that was what had attracted Reno to the large Turk. They really didn't have anything at all in common, but they worked so well as partners at work, it was only a matter of time before Reno tried to make it more. What had surprised him, though, was that Rude had agreed to the relationship. Rufus had thought that Rude was only interested in the female persuasion, considering his usual fare of conquests...

"Shall we call them back here, sir?"

"No," Rufus ordered, sitting back in the chair in thought. "If we called them back with no reason, it would raise their suspicions. And, for the time being, I believe it would be prudent to treat Reno as equally unstable as well. He is aware of what is boiling underneath Rude's skin, but he may be unwittingly enabling it if we give them a reason to be suspicious of our intentions."

"Yes sir. .." he had every reaason to want to stop this slow downward spiral. ..he idly wondered how much Rude's parents knew about this.

Rufus closed the folder in front of him again, returning the highlighter its proper place. "I believe we've done all we could here," he said. "I can't do anything more without speaking to that psychiatrist tomorrow."

Tseng nodded. ..hoping that rage stayed under wraps for the rest of the night.

Rude leaned back in the booth, having tucked himself back into his pants and opened the curtain again. He could feel the warmth of the Mako mixing the with warmth of the cognac in his stomach, and he wondered idly just how much of the green gel he'd consumed thus far.

Reno meanwhile had headed back out onto the floor moshing in this large group, moving flirtatiously against this slender blond that looked a LOT like Rufus. ..he obviously was too young by several years but the resemblance was still startling.

Rude picked up his snifter, swirling it around to get the maximum amount of Mako into the liquid. He'd forgotten just how nice the buzz was... However, he did keep part of his attention on Reno and the strange blonde who had appeared by him. He really didn't want to have to go out there and break the boy's head for doing something stupid.

Reno turned, suddenly finding the self-same blond's mouth pressed against his posessively. ..now his eyes were wide with shock, and he strugglled to free himself, let none mistake that, but it wouldn't be visible from Rude's angle really until he came closer. the boy was strong, his eyes gleaming with a mako-glow, whether from SOLDIER, or from the loads of illicit product that flowed through some of the more notorious techno clubs one could not be sure.

Well, there it was. The blonde had sealed his fate. He thought everyone was aware that the redhead was only touchable by him, Rude, no one else. Without permission, of course, but that blonde hadn't even glanced his direction. He swallowed the last of the liquid in the snifter, setting it almost reverently on the table before turning and stalking towards the dancefloor.

Reno when he saw Rude coming finally managed to break free of the boy's grip, he stepped back, gasping for air with a yelled "What the FUCK did you think you were doing, asshole?"

Rude didn't, couldn't, hear Reno's words. He didn't pause in his stride, only lifting his arm and punching the blonde boy across the cheek.

The kid sailed back, then landed on his feet with a flip. "He didn't tell me he belonged to anyone else. If he was yours, why didn't you just say so"  
"Í didn't think you'd just plop a wet one on me without evens eeing if I was INTERESTED first, jackass."

Rude paused, his eyes flashing darkly behind his sunglasses. He turned slowly to look at Reno. "You started this?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before commanding, "Don't move." He spun back on the kid, stalking forward again. "He belongs to me," he growled, another punch dropping the blonde to his back. Rude sat on the boy's chest, grabbing one hand while the blonde furiously tried to free himself with the other.

Reno was stock still. .No, he HADN'T started this, he had merely been dancing with the kid, that was all. ..he had no idea the prick would kiss him.

he kid was finally completely unconscious, and the bouncers had been called over, one of them had called the police.

Rude grunted as he was pulled off the kid, noticing that he'd managed to break seven of the blonde's fingers, and probably his jaw. Served him right.

Reno simply stood there in the middle of the floor as the police cuffed his husband and dragged him otu. .the shakes wouldn't come until later. ..when he remembered the look in those dark eyes when he'd been ordered not to move. ..he called Rufus immediatly.

Rufus wasn't going to answer his phone, really he wasn't. It wasn't every day he got to cuddle with his new husband in front of an old movie, just sitting there, enjoying each other's company. However, when he noticed it was Reno calling, his stomach sank. It was 3am... why would Reno be calling? "Yes?" he asked.

Reno related everything that had happened. ."They took him outta here in cuffs. ..the look in his eye, though. ..Gods. .."

It appeared things were disintegrating faster than Rufus had initially assumed. "I want to see you here at the hotel in 15 minutes, Reno." The order left no room for question or dissent. He needed to show Reno their findings, maybe allow him to sit in with his meeting with the psychiatrist. Either way, Rude was going to be spending at least the rest of the evening incarcerated.

Reno knocked on the door of their hotel room, the shakes had hit. ..hard ..Yes, the world could beat him up all it wanted, he'd just let it slide off his back. ..but Rude? No, Rude had promised to protect him...to take care of him, to keep him safe both in body and in spirit. when had things gone so wrong?

Rufus answered the door. This was important enough for him to at least do that. "You look like hell," he said, plainly, gesturing for the redhead to enter.

Reno only nodded as he walked in, he had some of the kid's blood on his shirt and pants, the spatter had flown THAT FAR, which would be an indicator of just how hard Rude had been hitting the lithe blond.

Rufus tossed the folder that held Rude's arrest record in it on Reno's lap. Without another word, he walked over to the coffee maker to make some coffee. He was certain they were going to need it.

"This explains why he pulled me offa Eric. ..guilt. ..he kept telling me. .I was safer not knowing. .shit. .."

"Now, take into consideration what offences he either got stricken from the record or didn't get caught at," Rufus said, handing Reno a cup of coffee.

"I don't wanna know. ..Whatever happened to that other street kid he brought home? Anyone know?"

Rufus just shook his head.

"Gonna ask Sam and his mom in the morning, I think..."wheels were spinning in his mind, in directions he'd rather not allow.

"Do you think even they know?" Rufus asked. As close as Rude was to his brother and mother, he wasn't entirely sure he'd tell either of them of all his exploits.

"Sam might. ..he confided in Sam a lot, and Sam he says is the one who bailed him out most of the time."

Sam. The elder brother. The SOLDIER. Perhaps... "Tseng... I have another request of you," Rufus said, looking over his shoulder at his lover.

"Yes sir."

"I need you to pull up Sam's record as well," Rufus stated, face thoughtful. "I have a feeling the elder brother may have done more than just bailed our dear Rude out once or twice."

Tseng did so. ..finding Sam's name on MULTIPLE bail records, at least a dozen. .. "most of them are petty thefts and drug posession, though there was one other assault on here. ..there are no details on the record, however. ..it's as if the details were stricken."

"Now, how many of those cross reference with times when Rude had been caught?" Rufus asked. He was wondering if perhaps the elder brother was taking some of the fall for his younger sibling. A thought struck him. "And cross reference those with Eric's arrest record."

Tseng did so, showing him the results, Sam had only ONE arrest on record, an assault as well, though he later had had the sentence nulled when it had been discovered he'd been protecting his brothers from a dealer. Eric had several, one of which had occured 3 days before the assault charge against Rude. "This one looks as if it had been amended as well. ..."

"Rude did mention one time Eric had done something and blamed it on him, might be related, yo."

Rufus pointed to the incident in question, the one that happened three days before Rude's arrest. "This is it. The catalyst," he said. "We find out what happened here, and I believe we have the key to unlocking Rude's anger"  
"The arresting officer's name is the same as for the assault. . perhaps. ..he will have the answers you seek."

Reno's phone rang, he looked at the caller id, a flash of something like sorrow crossing the handsome features, before he let it go to his voice mail.

Rufus looked over to Reno. "Was that him?" he asked.

Reno nodded. "Prob'ly callin' ta have me bail him out. ..but I can't yet. ..'smuch as I love him, I can't."

"I understand," Rufus said. "But you'll have to face him someday, Reno."

"His mom'll prob bail him out if Sam doesn't. ..I'll go talk ta him tomorrow after we talk to the cop who arrested him that time."

"He will not be happy that you didn't take his call," Rufus mentioned. He wasn't trying to scare Reno, just making sure the redhead knew what consquenes his actions may have caused.

"I know, he's liable ta be mad, gonna tell him I was sleepin', if I have to. .I don;'t wanna get you guys in hot water, to"  
"Speaking of sleep," Rufus said carefully. "I know how hard it's going to be, but I think we should all get some rest. We're going to have a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Reno headed out into the living room, curling up on the sofa. ..it took a good hour for sleep to claim him but it finally did.

Rufus was already up and making coffee when there was a knock at the door. "She's here," he said to himself. "Tseng," he said more loudly. "Could you get the door, please?"

Tseng nodded, opening the door, "Good morning, ma'am."

Reno was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee that had just finished brewing, he looked absolutely forlorn.

The woman nodded, her heels clicking as she walked. She held her hand out to Rufus when she saw him. "President ShinRa," she said in greeting.

Rufus nodded back to her. "Doctor Richardson," he greeted back, shaking her hand. He nodded towards the other occupants of the room. "This is Tseng and Reno, two of my Turks."

Reno nodded a greeting, he'd used some makeup to hide the circles under his eyes, applying it as if expert, which he was. .he'd used it to hide bruises inflicted by his father for years.

Being a woman, and having women's intuition, Dr. Richardson asked, "Did he hit you?" of Reno.

"No ma'am, it's just dark circles...I haven't slept well. .." In reality Rude had never hit him. ..though he was now beginning to wonder if it was only a matter of time.

"Would you like some coffee, Dr. Richardson?" Rufus asked before sitting down.

"Please. Cream and sugar as well," she smiled at the President, then turned back to Reno, her face hardening slightly. "I take it you are the lover?"

"Husband, yes ma'am. as well as working partner."

"I see. Rudolph has been known to attach himself to redheads," Dr. Richardson commented. She reached into her briefcase, pulling out a few file folders.

Reno simply nodded, silently thankful the bruises sam had created on his arms had already begun to heal most of the way, THAT was a situation he'd rather not explain.

"But, you didn't call me here just to comment on Rudolph's choice in partners," she said, opening the first folder before handing it over to Reno. "I would assume you've all read my psychiatric assessment?"

Tseng spoke up "Yes, ma'am. ..we were curious how he managed to get cleared for duty with his obvious buried rage"  
Reno meanwhile began to go through the folder, face growing paler with each page as he began to wonder JUST what he'd gotten himself into.

m"As you've seen from my initial interview with Rudolph, he was a very angry young man," Dr. Richardson said, taking off her tiny wire-rim glasses as she spoke. "He has severe issues with control, and must be in control of all situations at all times. When things are out of his hands, so to speak, it gives him an intense feeling of helplessness. Now, I realize that most people have these feelings, however, Rudolph, according to his mother, was always an emotional child, and things bothered him that most children would be able to shrug off. Sensitive, is the term, I believe."

Reno nodded, and things started falling into place. ..the jealousy. ..the posessiveness. ..

"Rudolph feels that those feelings of inadequesy are wrong and therefore suppresses them far past a normal, healthy limit." Dr. Richardson paused, folding her hands in her lap. "This has led him to supress all, what he deems, negative feelings from being expressed. Over time, those things began eating away at his consciousness, even without his knowledge as to what they were and why they bothered him so much. Finally, they would all come to a head in a sort of manic attack, where he would express all classic symptoms of having a manic disorder."

"Which Reno here has witnessed."

Reno shuddered, remembering the incidant at the condo. .  
"You have?" she asked, then elaborated. "They usually start as a form of hypersexuality, then once something triggers it, an overwhelming... the only word that could describe it is... rage."

Reno slowly relates the night at the condo. ..the stress preceding it. .then. ..the explosion.

"I see..." Dr. Richardson said, then continued. "I have found that the usual trigger comes as a feeling of loss, be is loss of control, loss of a person, or just loss of an object." She paused. "Regardless, I have also found that just prior to the trigger, Rudolph would tend to behave in a reckless manner, usually committing a minor criminal offence."

"We were both terrified we were gonna die that night. ..I'd say that would be a definate trigger." He doesn't tell her about the cutting incident before it, not sure if he wanted Rufus and Tseng to know that, but his face does color.

Dr. Richardson leaned forward, towards Reno. "I would be interested to speak with you about Rudolph in a more... private setting." She knew Reno was hiding things, things that could possibly help her understand why the man did what he did to himself. It was a sort of mental self-mutilation in her opinion. "However, I am more than a little curious as to why you asked me to come here and talk about a report I made eight years ago"  
"He got arrested for beating up a kid at the Silver Condor last night. . .I'm sure you know the place if you know Rude well. ..it's the techno place at the edge of town."

"You were there?" she asked Reno. "Tell me exactly what happened. I might be able to help you."

"We'd had cognac and mako shooters. ..I'd gone out onto the floor, just moshin' with a huge group of people like I like ta do sometimes, and I ended up dancin' with this kid that actually looked a lot like the president here. ..the kid just up and KISSED me.. .Rude walked over and PUNCHED the kid. Admittedly, I hadn't told the kid I was there with Rude, but I hadn't expected him ta plant one on me."

Dr. Richardson rolled her eyes. She leaned over, pointing to a specific bullet point in her report before she read it word for word. "Not permitted usage of Mako in any form." She paused. "Do you know why? He is one of the few who are unable to get addicted to the substance. Also, when the substance breaks down and is processed by his system, it triggers an ususual amount of adrenaline and testosterone to be released into his blood stream. Most people hallucinate when it breaks down, but something about his body chemistry causes that reaction. Add all that to the suppressed anger and you are just asking for trouble."

"I never knew, yo. ..he told me he didn't like using it once, but he never told me he wasn't supposed ta. ..anyway. ..when the kid said he didn't know. ... he just LOOKED at me...and his eyes were just. ..cold as ice."

"Are you familiar with the tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" she asked.

Reno nodded, he'd read it...and had seen the movie as well.

"At its heart, it is a tale of suppression," Dr. Richardson explained. "Instead of expressing his baser emotions, like anger and lust, the good doctor denied them. However, once he'd taken his potion, Hyde became the embodiment of all that he'd denied himself. With Rudolph, it's very similar. I've read over his psychiatric evaluations since joining the Turks, and I find the similarities rather interesting."

"I call it his 'Beast'.. .I've seen it on or two occasions ..full unleashed. ..it's a scary thing. .. but even then. ..when it was full bore. ..he didn't hit me.. .some part of himself held on to the oath he'd made never to lay a hand on me in anger. ..'snot ta say it wasn't some scary shit."

"I see," Dr. Richardson said, going back into her briefcase for another folder. She pulled a pair of video disks from the file. "Here are copies of two of the sessions I had with him while he was incarcerated. You may or may not find them useful in understanding him."

Reno nodded, his phone rang again, and he gave Rufus a look that clearly asked "should I answer it?" holding up the phone to show it's Rude.

Dr. Richardson raised an eyebrow.

Rufus nodded, his face showing a look that indicated that it wouldn't be wise to blow off the bald man again.

"Hey. .."

"I'm sorry." Rude didn't even bother with any other words at the moment.

"Yeah...I know.. .I. ..I hadta get some sleep so I didn't answer this morning. ..haven't even listened to the message yet. ..I love you, ya know that.. ." His voice held so much sorrow to it. .."You admit now we gotta fix this? I don't like bein' afraida you. ..it's not healthy for me, and it's sure as Hell ain't healthy for you."

"I just need to stay away from the Mako," Rude said, blaming the entirety of his current assault charge, and drug charge, on the drug's effects.

"I...I know that's not just it. ..was that responsible for the condo? or. ." and he gulped, Rude didn't know he'd found out. "Eric? I knownow, Rude. ..I did a little digging of my own."

"What?" Rude's voice had turned instantly to the temperature of the middle of a glacier at the Northern Crater.

"I found out about Eric. .." His own voice got small. ..very small. ..though Rude wouldn't know, Rufus would see the near-impercecptible shiver that ran through the slim frame.

"I told you. Eric is none of your concern." If it was at all possible, that voice got even colder. "You disappoint me, Reno. Do you trust me so little that you have to go behind my back to find out things you're better off not knowing?"

"I thought I knew you, Rude. ..I thought you trusted ME enough to still love you no matter what I knew. ..you know me inside and out. ..but. ..it does explain. ..a whole lot of things."

"Tell me," Rude's words could have very well had a blizzaga behind them with the total amount of ice they held. "Tell me what your discovery explains. Tell me how much better than me it makes you to know."

"It explains. ..a lot of what happened with the blow ups before. ..you BURY shit. .you always have. ..you're so fucking afraid of losing control that you don't realize that when you don't let go and handle a problem head on. ..you end becoming exactly the thing you're so damn afraid of"  
He paused, just for a moment, he was full on trembling now, but it didn't show in his voice. "Is that what happened with that other street kid? Did he ask too much, get too damn curious?" He hated asking that question. ..he loved Rude, he would always love his partner, no matter what. ..but he had to know what he was dealing with.

All Reno got was a disconnection signal as Rude howled in rage, throwing his phone against the wall and breaking it.

Reno sagged, just literally sagged. ..the helpless look he threw his two superiors spoke volumes

"Gentlemen," Dr. Richardson said to Tseng and Rufus. "If I may..." she gestured at Reno, indicating that she would like some time alone with the redhead. It seemed that Rudolph had gotten far, far worse since she'd seen him last, and she wondered if it was all because of this Reno.

He follows her back. ..he's shaking. .."I. ..I don't know what I did. .."

"Shh..." she comforted, placing her hand on Reno's. "You did nothing wrong. You said nothing wrong." She paused, thinking. "However, perhaps there was a better way to bring up Joshua Miller."

"Yeah. ..he just. ..made me so damn frustrated. ..I wanna solve this. ..I hate being afraida him."

"I believe he is more afraid of what you could do than anything he could possibly do," she said carefully. She paused, frowning as she lightly grabbed Reno's chin and turned his face to face hers. "I do, though, see just why a mention of Mr. Miller from you would set him off. You do resemble him." 


	30. Chapter 30

"I. ..I never knew that. ..we've been partners for 7 years. ..why alla sudden is this all coming to a head?" Then he suddenly had an awful thought. "Wait. .what ahppened to Joshua, anyway?"

"I suppose patient/doctor confidentiality doesn't come into play when you're dealing with the Turks, does it?" she asked, almost offhandedly. Dr. Richardson paused, taking a deep breath. "Mr. Miller was beaten, repeatedly, by Rudolph. The last time, right before the assault charges against his brother, it was near-fatal. Mr. Miller was in a coma for six months before he finally recovered... However, he never fully recovered."

Reno gulped. ..shit. ..this WAS what he was dealing with. .."I. ..I need a second. ..excuse me a second. .." He got up, his face was white as a sheet, darkness flickering at the edges of his vision, he was headed for the bathroom.

She waited, sitting in the chair while she heard Reno retch in the bathroom.

Then the sound of a thud. ..he'd collapsed next to the toilet, the shock, combined with the lack of sleep, he knocked him right out.

Dr. Richardson calmly stood up; she was not a woman who was easily riled up. She poked her head into the bathroom, then moved to stand over Reno, adjusting his position so he wouldn't get a crick in his neck from it being in that position.

"President ShinRa," she called out to the other room, "I need your assistance moving him."

Tseng exited, helping her move the slender redhead. ..he too noticed how he was still under fighting weight, though not by as much.  
Then a knock at the door. "It's Gladys, boys. ..I heard what happened. ..at least my son's side. ..may I come in and get yours?" Ever sensible Gladys. . .good woman, very good woman.

Rufus answered the door, offering the woman coffee as she sat down. Ever the gracious host.

Dr. Richardson frowned at the woman's entrance. "Mrs. Urar," she said in greeting, though how greeting like it was could come into question with the way she was clenching her jaw.

"Listen, I don't know what's going on here, but I'd like to. Believe it or not, I care about my son in law. ..I refused to bail my son out when he was doing things he shouldn't. I fully believe if someone does something wrong they should pay the consequences."

"Just like you cared about Joshua Miller, Mrs. Urar?" Dr. Richardson spat. "How could you fail to notice the resemblence between your son in law and the man your son almost killed? If you cared about your son in law, then you would've gotten Rudolph psychological help as soon as you met Reno. However, you refused my recommendation for a halfway house for those with anger management problems back then, so how could I expect you to act in anyone but your son's best interest now?"

Rufus stepped inbetween the women before anything else could be said. "Ladies, let us be civil, please."

"If I didn't care, Mrs, Richardson, it would have been my money that paid his bail. .it was not, my elder boy did that. And my son, unfortunatly, is a grown man, unless he is declared incompetant I can't FORCE him to do what I think he should. ..Do I regret Joshua? You bet your ass I do. "

"Dr. Richardson," the doctor said, irritation at Rudolph's mother's lack of using her title obvious on her face. "And I believe you underestimate the power you have over those boys of yours. Do you know what the first thing Rudolph said after mentioning that he didn't need a psychiatric evaluation was? I believe his exact words were 'Momma's gonna kill me.' As for your regret over Mr. Miller's fate, you clearly show next to none since you're letting it happen again to another man!" Okay, so that thing about her not getting riled up easily? Some things were more likely to affect her than others.

"Ladies..." Rufus warned, then looked over to Tseng. He really hoped he wouldn't have to have them seperated...

Reno stepped out now, his face still pale, but his eyes flared in fury. "Why. ..why didn't any of you tell me?"

Rufus shook his head, almost sadly. "We didn't know." It pained him to say that he didn't know something, pained him greatly. However, he couldn't lie to Reno, not about something like that.

"Yes, Mrs. Urar," Dr. Richardson said. "Why didn't you mention the resemblence to Reno?"

"He acted so loving. ..I had thought perhaps he'd chosen to get help on his own. ..particularly since so far as I know there had been no other incidants.I know. .I should have."

Dr. Richardson just shook her head. "Regardless of how many or few incidents, Reno had -- has -- a right to know."

He sits down on the bed, STILL shaking. ..He had NEVER had it directed at him, NEVER until the night of Meteor fall. .a Turk had to be able to rely on his partner to have his back...besides the fact that despite what he'd learned.. .he still loved Rude.. .still wanted to make it work.

"President ShinRa," Dr. Richardson said, turning to face the blonde. "With your and Reno's permission, I would like to offer my services as a counselor for them both. While I do not specialize in marriage counselling in particular, I feel I have a unique insight into the situation at hand."

"Reno?" Rufus asked, leaving the decision up to the redhead.

He nodded, his eyes closing. ..just for a moment, then he looked up at her. "That's if he'll even still talk to me now. .."

She had nothing she could say to comfort him, nothing that she knew for sure. She thought Rudolph would likely still talk to the redhead, however... she wasn't entirely sure if the relationship would last.

"Sir. ..this would affect Rude's job performance if this isn't fixed. ..you could ORDER him to do it, and he would be obliged to do so."

Rufus looked torn. On one hand, he wanted to let Rude make the decision, on the other... he needed all the help he could get when it came to rebuilding ShinRa Company, and Rude was an excellent asset... "I would prefer if he chose to do it himself..." he said. "However, if needs be..."

Reno handed him the phone. "You talk to him first. ..he might be more inclined to listen to you right now. ..he's...sorta peeved with me

The conversation with Rude was quick, however, it did boil down to Rufus actually ordering him to go to at least two weeks of counselling before he would be let back on active duty. Before Rufus hung up the phone, he offered it to Reno. "He would like to speak with you."

"Hey. .I'm sorry about. .everything." His voice was so shakey. ..

"I can't begin to apologize for what I've done..." Rude started. He really didn't know what to say other than that. What more could he say?

"I love you. .I want to make this work. .but it's not going to if we lie to each other.. .or to ourselves.. I know I got problems, to, Gods know I know that.. but we both do. ..and if they aren't fixed. .one of us is going to end up killing the other."

"I love you, too," Rude choked out. He couldn't find anything more to say that hadn't already be said, so he just breathed.

"I'm gonna be with you every step. ..just like you were for me. ..even after what I found out about. ..all of it. ..I'm not gonna abandon you. ..partners, right? You had my back. ..now it's my turn to have yours."

Rude sniffled. "Partner," he replied, followed by another sniffle.

"I'll see you for supper tonight. ..maybe a club or something but no alcohol, and no mako. ..I'm not takin' any chances on either of our triggers coming into play tonight. ..I want it. ..to be us. ..to be like it was before alla this."

Rude paused as he thought. "There's a little diner around the corner from my parents' house," he offered. "But... I'm not sure I'm ready to see you again yet." There it was, the first totally, completely honest about his feelings thing Rude had said in weeks.

"I.. .I understand. .." It stung, hell it HURT. ..but he'd been expecting it. "I'll be at the hotel when ya are. .."

"Call me," Rude cleared his throat. "Call me again in a few hours. Please?"

"OK. .." When he hung up the phone he walked outside, anyone could tell he was swallowing back tears, and he didn't want anyone to see them. . .when he went out he lit up. ..taking a shaking drag.

Rufus waited for a moment before following Reno out there. He knew the redhead best -- at least he thought he did -- and in a situation like this, he wasn't sure Reno should be left alone. "What did he say?" he asked, figuring it was a good starting point.

"That he wasn't ready to see me yet. ..to call back in a few hours. . .he's scared too. ..shit. ..I can tell. ..he. ." he gulped back a lump. "He was crying. ..or at least it sounded like it. .."

Rufus knew Reno wasn't into casual touch, knew it, but that didn't stop him from pulling the redhead into a comforting hug. He kept the shock over the bald Turk's crying to himself. Seems those two were doing a lot of things he had never expected to happen.

Reno LEANED into it. ..he was trying so hard to hold himself together. ..to be the strong one, because someone HAD to be. ..but it was so, so hard.

Rufus caught Tseng's eye, and with a nod of his head told the Turk to clear the room. He knew Tseng would schedule another meeting with Dr. Richardson, but Reno... Reno needed him. And he knew the redhead wouldn't open up as much with an audience.

Tseng nodded to the psychiatrist to signal that they should leave for the moment, and as soon as the room was cleared, he shut the door.

"I never expected things to end up like this. ..never, ever in a million years would I'a thought this would happen. ..if someone told me a year ago I'd be looking at the shattered shards of my relationship with Rude laying scattered at my feet I'da told 'em they were nuts."

"You would have told them more than that," Rufus said softly, still holding Reno in his arms. There was a slight smile on his face, and he hoped he could get the redhead to mirror at least that.

Reno let out a soft, but sad sounding chuckle. .."Do you think. ..do you think it is even salvagable?" He had a tiny, sad smile, but he was trying.

"I will take some work..." Rufus started, but he couldn't say for sure one way or the other. He wanted the two to work out, but with the way things were headed... he wasn't entirely sure.

"I'm willin'. ..I always have been, you know that." He shook his head "You three took me off the streets, helped me make a life for myself even when I was a scared-ass, scarred kid. And he's had my back since even before I came to Shinra. ..I owe ALL of you too much not to fight for I got."

Rufus kept his comment on how sometimes it was better for everyone to give up the ghost to himself. It was neither the time nor the place for such talk. That, and a small part of him was afraid that what had happened to Reno and Rude could possibly, someday, happen to him and Tseng.

He saw the police car pull up now Officer Daniels parking and stepping out. Tseng had as always come through.

"Will you be okay?" Rufus asked, standing and holding out his hand for Reno.

Reno nodded. "I gotta be the strong one right now, right? one of us has gotta be.. .it's Rude's turn to be able ta be weak. ..time for me ta be strong"  
"You don't have to do it alone," Rufus said carefully, walking towards the door as he heard a knock at it.

"Thanks yo. ..really.. .thanks." He stepped out just as Tseng answered.

"Good, you're here."

Rufus nodded to the man who walked through the door. "Officer Daniels, I presume?" He held out his hand for the man to shake it.

"Yes, sir. " He shook it "President Shinra, how can I helpp ya today?"

"I'm not sure how much Tseng told you on the phone," Rufus said, gesturing for them to sit in the living room area of their room. "However, I require some additional information on a few arrests you made eight years ago... Regarding one Rudolph Urar, then age 20."

"Yes sir. ..his little brother Eric had apparantly stolen their parent's car and blamed it on Rudolph. .. which in turn of course had them very upset. ..I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions from there as to what occured."

"I would prefer to hear your conclusions, if you would, Officer," Rufus said.

"Well, the car was turned over to a chop shop. ..one of the boys he ran with informed the Urars that it had not been Rudolph who was responsible, but the youngest boy. It was after that that the assault occured."

"The medical report for Eric's injuries appears to be missing from the file," Rufus prompted.

"Yes sir, at his own request."

"What was in that report?" Rufus asked, his tone indicating that spouting anything about confidentiality would get him nowhere.

"He had a skull fracture, several broken ribs, all his fingers shattered, both legs and his pelvis broken, sir."

"And he survived?" Rufus asked incredulously.

"Yes sir, that boy's tough. .. but since then they've barely talked. ..Rudolph to his credit did feel remorse for it.

"I see..." Rufus said thoughtfully. He paused for a moment, then asked, "Officer, if I could, what is your opinion of Rudolph?"

"He's what we call an ostrich, sir. ..he's not someone who likes to admit ta bein' mad. .when he is, he buries his head in the sand, so to speak, to avoid admittin' to it."

"And your opinion of his mental state?" Rufus questioned.

"Unless he starts ta find outlets for his emotions outside of violence. ..he's just a bomb waitin' ta go off. .he needs ta face it. ..insteada lettin' it eat him up."

"I see," Rufus said quietly. He glanced over to Reno, then back to the officer. "Thank you, Officer Daniels. If I require more information, I'll be in touch."

"Yes sir. ..oh, and the Miller boy requested to see young Reno here. ..here's his number"  
Reno sighed. ..Sam musta have contacted Joshua. ..told him Rude had brought him home When the officer left, Rufus turned to Reno. "Tell me again what Rude did to the boy at the club. What exactly, were his injuries?"

"He had broken fingers, I could see that. ..broken nose. ..beyond hat I couldn't really tell, I was pretty much in shock by that point."

"I see..." Rufus' head was already forming an idea as to why things went the way they did. "If you feel up to it, I would like you to speak with Mr. Miller before you meet face-to-face with Rude. He might shed some insight that only you will find helpful."

"Yeah. ..I'm. ..the freaky thing sir. ..he looked like YOU."

Rufus paused, frowning. "Excuse me?"

"The kid. .looked like you. "

"Curiouser and curiouser," Rufus said quietly, his hand going to his chin in thought.

"Honestly, I don't think you'd be in any danger, Rude's as loyal to you as they come. ..but it just struck me a lil' odd, ya know. ..he knows about. .well, us. ..he also knows about this. "Lifted his hair up to expose the scar. "I didn't know it was like this at the time. ..an' I thought bein' honest was the best policy. . .although I hadn't planned on mentionin' it, it just sorta came up."

A few years ago, when he'd been under his father's thumb, he would have turned away from that mark in shame. Now, however, he looked at it for what it was, a sign of his weakness. "I never did apologize properly for that," he said quietly.

"Nah, but I understood, yo. ..you were under a lotta pressure at the time, an' you wanna know why I broke it off? I knew what your father's reaction woulda been. ..you wouldn'ta deserved what woulda happened, and Rude wouldn'ta deserved what he woulda forced Rude ta do."

"Oh?" Rufus looked over at Tseng. Seems there were plenty of secrets coming to light as of late.

Tseng nodded "Your father would tolerate no one stepping out of line. ..he already had the orders made up for Rude to assasinate Reno should he be found to be 'with' you. ..he heard the rumors just like everyone else."

Ah yes. The rumour mill. However, parts of what they'd said, particularly his affection for taking Reno over his father's desk, were most very true. "Perhaps we should give thanks to Sephiroth for small miracles," he said softly.

"Yes sir. " Tseng smiled slightly.

"Might as well call Joshua, huh? Get this over with. ..before I call Rude back and get started on tryin' ta pick up the pieces."

Rufus nodded, unconsciously reaching out for Tseng's hand.

Tseng squeezed it, but felt. ..almost guilty. He and Rufus had each other for support. .Reno had only them, and it wasn't the same as having your partner around to watch your back.

Reno dialed the number. "Hey. ..Josh there?. ..it's Reno yeah. .."

"Officer Daniels came by to tell me that Rudy had come back into town..." Josh said carefully. Just speaking of his former lover was hard enough, but speaking to his former lover's lover?

"Yeah. ..we came in for the boss's wedding. .I. .I heard about you. ..n'." He gulped, not at all sure how to broach this. "He said ya wanted ta talk to me."

"Word on the street's that you look a lot like me," Josh said, going right to the point of his wanting to talk to Reno.

"Haven't seen you. ..but Doc Richardson said so, yeah."

"Has Rudy hit you yet?" It had taken years for Josh to finally come to terms with what Rude had done to him, but speaking of it still hurt. A lot.

"No. ..he broke shit a couple o' times. ..really scared me let me tell ya " He told him of the incident in midgar, this was the third time in as many days he'd related the tale, he had it fairly memorized now.

"I loved him, ya know," Josh admitted, his voice shaking slightly as he spoke. "And he loved me. But he... he would get so mad... when I would talk to other people... to other guys... or to girls..."

"Yeah, I know, he's alittle posessive with me, too. . .it's saved my ass more'n once though, so I haven't said anything about it. I love him, too, though. ..more'n anything He was my partner for 7 years. ..been lovers for 6 o'that. .. an' married for 3 months." Then something suddenly clicked. "Waitaminute. .are you the kid. .the redhead down the hall. ...the one who got out 6 months before I did?" He dimly remembered a scrawny kid about 5 months his elder who had picked the lock on his room door and slipped through the air vents to escape, that kid had given him the courage to try, though it had taken 6 long months to plan.

"I... don't know. I could've been... but it was so long ago," Josh said brokenly. "I... I still love him, I think. But I couldn't, just couldn't take being hit anymore. And the things he would say, the things he would tell me he'd do if I ever left him..."

"I wish I could hug ya kid. ..an' I wish I knew what ta say..but that I wanna make it work. ..but he has ta come ta terms with his own problems first. ..I can't force him to do it."

"I just... I don't want the same thing to happen to you what did to me." He paused. "I can't use my left arm anymore because of him... and I walk with a limp... and, he's just so... so messed up in the head, ya know? I mean, who would practically kill the person they wanted to spend the rest of their life with? Why? Why did he have to hit me?"

"He had no healthy outlet. ..he. .he buries shit. ..until it eats him up. ..then it gets taken out on whoever happens ta be nearest. ..But he's finally gonna get some help.. .he loves working where he does, loves his job, an' the people he works with. ..an' he knows it's gonna all be ggone if he doesn't.. .maybe. .maybe at least onea us'll be lucky, eh"  
"I wanted it to be me!" With that, Josh broke down into sobs, gasping into the phone as he continued to speak. "Not a day goes by when I don't think of him. I want to hate him so bad, but I can't. If he were to come and ask me to be with him again, I would! I would! I could take the beatings, could take them, but I don't want him to almost kill someone else..."

"Kid. .let me tell ya somethin'. ..he made a promise ta me the first day we slept together never ta hit me. .because he knew I'd had a rough goa it. .he didn't know how bad until that protest in midgar last year when I got pretty messed up. ..sure ya saw about that on the news, Turk gets hurt the news crews eat it up. .. anywa, I told him a lotta what I'm about ta tell you." He then tells him about his parents. ..then the foster family, then Corneo. ..he holds back nothing.

"He doesn't deserve you, and you don't deserve him," Josh said, then stopped. "I... I'm sorry." One could almost hear over the phone how he cringed, almost as if he were expecting to be struck for his comment.

"I'd never hit ya kid. ..I was a whore, kid. ..if anything. ..I don't deserve him. ..even with all a this. .."

"No, no!" Josh's voice seemed to grow slightly stronger, as if all those years of therapy were finally coming through. "You're, you're a good person. I can tell. If you weren't he probably wouldn't have spoken to you in the first place. Rudy always was a good judge of character when he wasn't..." he paused, as if he couldn't put a name to what Rude was like. "He... he needs good people around him. More good people around him."

"Kiddo. .be honest with me. ..do you think he can be helped? I wanna make sure I'm not jkust pissin' in my own bed here ta hope."

Josh felt a nursery rhyme best told his answer. "There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid."

Reno sighed, the sound audible over the phone. .."Listen, Josh. ..I'm supposed ta call him, ok? Thanks for. ..everything. ..if it's worth anything he cried when I talked ta him this mornin'."

"People don't change overnight, Reno," Josh warned, his tone suddenly more serious than it had been through the entire conversation. "That is, IF they change at all. Just remember, he always cried and took me out to dinner after he'd beat me. Sometimes he'd even buy me things, or be extra nice to me for a few days."

"I have faith he can. .he never acted like this for 5 o' the six years. ..not until after Meteor. .."

Reno was talking to a disconnected line. Josh had given up trying to make his case to Reno, so he just hung up. Resentment? Perhaps. Jealousy? Probably.

Next he sucked in a deep breath. ..dialing the number to Rude's parent's. ..hoping he'd be the one to answer.  
"Hello?" Sam asked, answering the phone.

"Sam. .c'n I talk to him?"

"Reno..." Sam said, his tone unreadable. "He's... in the shower right now. Hold on a minute and I'll get him."

"Sam.. .sam, what is it. ..please...I know that tone."

"No, no, it's nothing," Sam said with a nervous laugh. "I just... I wasn't expecting you to call. He really is in the shower. Hold on."

"Sam. ..don't fuckin' lie ta me."

Sam didn't respond, and a light shuffle noise was heard before Rude spoke. "Hello"  
"Hey.. .ya said call. ..so I did. .now. ..what was sam hidin' from me. ..I'm not mad.. .but I needta know. ..not lyin' ta each other. ..remember?"

Rude frowned, and one could hear it in his voice. "What did he say?"

"Just that you were in the shower. ..but his tone gave somethin' away."

"I was in the shower," Rude replied evenly. "Was outside with Dad working on the car all day. Got filthy. Decided to shower just in case you wanted to go out for that dinner."

"I do.. ." his tone was longing. .but curious as well. ."but I hate when people hide shit from me. ..you know that. .we need ta have shit out in the open. .oh. . .an' I talked ta Josh. ..he sounded..hell. ..jealous almost."

Rude had to rein in his inital comment of 'you did what?'. He settled for, "What did he have to say?"

"told me everything. ."" he said he wasn't hiding anything, and he meant it.

"Oh." Such the elegant speaker, that Rude. As much as he wanted to know everything, word for word, what Reno and Josh talked about, he thought it wasn't his place to ask.

"About. ..all the stuff ya said to him. ...an'.. the last time you. .well. ." and he gulped. ..he couldn't picture his Rude.. .the one who'd always held him so lovingly when he'd been frightened or ill or hurt, hitting anyone he loved that way.

"I didn't know better, back then," Rude said carefully. He knew it sounded like an excuse, and in a way it was, but at least it was the truth. He really, honestly, didn't know better than to rein in that anger. "I was young. And stupid. And careless."

"See . ..here's the thing, aibou. ..you need ta learn how do more than just repress it. ..ta rein it in. ..ya need ta learn how ta let it out in ways that don't involve other people gettin' hurt."

"I know," was all Rude could say.

"I know. ..you'd hate ta have me in the shape Josh is. .becausea you. .You'd probably end up doin' yourself in, and that'd kill ME..so. ..we gotta work on it. ..Dr Richardson's offered ta help us. ..an I don't know about you, but I personally plan on makin' use of it."

Rude's suddenly icy tone said more than his words ever could. "I am not speaking to that woman again," he spat.

"Then we'll find someone else. ..I don't care. ..but I wanna make this work. ..if you wanna tell me what happened between you n' her. .you can. ..this one I'm not gonna force."

Perhaps this was the first step in his turning over a new leaf. He really didn't want to talk about it, but he figured it was probably the best peace offering he could make at the time. "The rotten bitch could't get her head out of her own cunt long enough to realize her plans to have me committed were pointless," he said. Now, Rude did not use such language when referring to women -- Momma taught him better than that -- but he felt a special kind of hatred for Dr. Richardson.

Reno sighed. ..he wanted. ..soi badly to just be able to put his arms around the big man right now. .."We'll find someone else then. .I'm sure the boss has plentya resources ta help. ."

Rude sighed. "Okay." He really couldn't say, 'we don't need help'. It would just start another arguement with Reno.

"Now, yes, I do wanna see ya tonight. ..I want this ta work. ..if I didn't think it was worthwhile. ..if I didn't think YOU were worthwhile. ..I'da kicked ya ta the curb after Meteor."

A tiny, almost miniscule chuckle escaped Rude. "Probably should've. It would've been easier on you."

"Couldn't do that. ..I love ya too fuckin' much to."

Another tiny chuckle from Rude. "Love you, too." He took a deep breath. "This is good... right?" He was more than a little insecure about the whole rebuilding thing.

"Yeah, it is. ..we ain't COOL yet, but we're movin' in that direction. ..I'm gonna shower, then talk ta the boss. ..see what other resources he can find. ..we're gonna fix this, got me? We're gonna make it work."

Rude nodded, then realized that Reno couldn't see him nod over the phone. "Okay. I guess... just meet me at the diner when you're done."

"Will do."". ..with one last shakey breath." I'm not gonna stop lovin' you. ..never forget it. ..I promised forever an' I mean it." before he hung up. "Richardson's a no go, Boss. ..we need ta find someone else. ..she tried ta get him comitted when he was younger."

Rufus frowned. "I wonder why she didn't mention that little bit of information... and I wonder why it was not in his record or the psych evaluation..." Curiouser and curiouser indeed.

"Don't know. ..but all I know is that I know I don't wanna lose m'partner. .." Reno sighed again, he was pacing almost manicly now. "Let's start lookin'."

"Tseng," Rufus said, looking over at his lover. "I would not feel comfortable sending them to the usual ShinRa psychiatrist. Would you please find me the best partnership counselor you can"  
"sir. ..I believe. .I have just the thing. .it's in Edge. ..in one of the newer buildings there, moved from midgar. .in fact, I believe you know him. ..Dr Chang and his son. ." yes. .the old man who'd been sent the mass of Corneo's prostitutes after his untimely demise. .tthe man was good. ..damn good.

"Ah, the Changs," Rufus said thoughtfully. He looked over at Tseng. "Tseng, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible. We'll be heading back to Edge ourselves with them."

"Yes sir." He immediastly calls. "Monday morning, sir...He said he should have the last of Corneo's folk cleared by then. "

"Excellent," Rufus said, then turned to Reno with a smile. "I believe you have a date to prepare for?" he prompted.

"Yes sir." he headed back, putting on his leather and his net shirt. .then found something which made him tear up a little...one of Rude's shirts. ..he buried his nose in it, inhaling. Livewire, sensing his master's distress, mewed softly, licking his hand.

Rude had been sitting at the diner for an hour, and already he'd gone through half a pack of cigarettes. He resisted the urge to call Reno, to ask if he'd coming, but Rude didn't want to sound desperate. God, it was worse than when they first started dating... Actually, they never really dated. They were friends, partners, then after that drunken night in his bathroom, lovers. There was no dating stage in there at all.

Reno strode in in his leather pants... but it wasn't his usual, casual self-assured stride. ..he looked. ..almost nervous as he approached. ..he restrained the urge to run. ..to wrap his arms around Rude...not sure how he'd react. "Hey, partner."

"Oh. Hey," Rude replied. His sunglasses didn't do much to hide the redness around his eyes. Whether it was from lack of sleep, crying or all of the above, only Rude would know. "How..." he cleared his throat, then took a drink from the coffee cup in front of him. "How are you"  
"Survivin'. .." his voice was shakey, his own eyes draped with black circles and bloodshot...even through the makeup you could see them. "She had tha nerve to ask me if you'd HIT me!"

"Rotten bitch," Rude muttered, taking another hit from his cigarette. He offered the pack to Reno. "Want one? Or some coffee?"

"Yeah ta both. ..thanks, yo. .." He let his hand drift over to Rude's. ..setting his fingers along the top gently.

Rude just smiled at Reno's touch, then motioned with his free hand for the waitress.

"I miss you. .." his voice was hushed now. ..the hand settled over his husband's shaking. ..

He was not going to tear up, not in public. Rude managed a nod... and a slight sniffle.

"Miss your touch. ..miss the way you hold me when I'm scared. ..when I'm hurt. ..miss the way you make me feel when we make love. ..'cause it's not just sex. ..it's more. ..it's always been more with you"  
Rude just nodded again. He started to speak, but all that came out what a tiny squeak. He cleared his throat, face turning pink. "I... I don't sleep well when you're not with me."

"I haven't either. . .haven't eaten well either." The ribs that had begun showing more over the past couple of days attetsted to that.

A very nervous laugh escaped Rude after the waitress brought Reno his coffee. "I feel like a fucking teenager again," he said.

"Me, too, yo, an' I have no idea what being one even feels like."

Suddenly, he just gave in. ..hoping to God he wouldn't get pushed away, because it would hurt him beyond belief at this point. ..dragging Rude's lips to his his eyes finally overflowing. ..just tasting him. ..not fierce, not rough. ..just tasting. ..though it did have a hint of desperation to it. .

"Miss you," Rude said between kisses, his own lips and tongue desperate against Reno's. "Miss this." After a few minutes, the desperation passed and he pulled away slowly, catching Reno's eyes with his own. Just when had those sunglasses come off? "Please... please don't become another Joshua Miller. Please"  
"Got no intention of it, yo...but 'swhy we need the help. ..Tseng set us up with Dr Chang back in Edge. .he's the one that resocialized all o' the prostitutes we freed. .If he can't get us through this. ..it's hopeless. .." .

Rude nodded. "I'm... I'm still sorry."

"I know. . .shit happens, yo. .I've already forgiven ya. ..now forgive yourself." He leaned into him now. .shaking with the need to be touched. ..to be in the big man's arms again.

He rested his head on Reno's, enjoying the never before missed smell of his lover's shampoo. "You were right," Rude said carefully, a sudden thought popping into his mind.

"hmm?"

"Sam was trying to hide something from you." Rude paused. "But it's not what you think."

"Talk ta me."

"He and Elena have gotten really close since you introduced them," he started. He wasn't entirely sure how to say it, so he just came out with it. "He's worried. He thinks he might have gotten her pregnant."

"Dayum. ..I know she'd be happy, though Tseng and the boss'll wanna have her hide."

"He was afraid you were calling to make claim on his boys," Rude said with a slight smile.

"Nah. ..I'm happy for her, yo. ..tell him he better make her honest, though. .hey, if he does. ..you can call her litlle sister like ya used to an' it'll be all legal."

Rude chuckled slightly. "Sam's worse than I am with kids." He paused. "Besides, we won't know until she misses anyway."

"you an' I. .I think we'll do fine once alla this shit is fixed."

The smile that crossed Rude's face was shy, something rather unusual for the big man.

"I want one one day, ya know. ..but not now. ..we got issues of our own ta fix first."

"I think I'd be just as happy as 'Uncle Rudy'," he said softly. He knew he told Reno he was ready, but with all the shit that had hit the fan... he wasn't sure if he really was or not anymore.

"Like I said. ..we fix our own issues first. ..then we re evaluate things."

Rude nodded, smiling at the waitress as she refilled their coffee cups.

"First date?" she asked with a smile.  
Michael TW Kelley: "Kinda. .. "

She leaned down closer to Reno to whisper quietly, "He was waiting for you for over an hour before you came. Woulda been a wreck if you didn't show up. Treat him good, honey."

Rude blushed, his mouth falling open in shock.

"I planta." then the ring would flash in the dim light. ..he'd put it back on.

Rude noticed, raising an eyebrow as the woman chuckled and left. He did feel a little guilty, though. While he was wearing his ring, he wasn't wearing it on his finger. It was currently residing on a chain around his neck, the ring itself resting over his heart.

"I. .I put it back on after talking to you earlier. .figured. .if we're gonna give it a go. .I go into it with no looking back."

"I'm not fit to call myself your husband yet," Rude admitted.

"I love you. .I want ya ta be. ..can we. .get a room at the hotel? I. .I need you."

Rude looked away. "I don't know if I'm ready for that... yet..." Well, that wasn't to say he wasn't willing -- far from it -- but he didn't want to sleep with Reno only to have a relapse happen before he could 'fix' himself.

Reno bit his lip. .he nodded. ..even though his face showed that it hurt. "We leave for edge in the morning. ..might be better. ..ya know, away from here."

Rude nodded. He'd seen how much his denial of the carnal pleasures hurt Reno, but he truly wasn't sure it was the safest thing for them at the moment. "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking at his lap like it was the most facsinating thing in the world.

"Nah man. .I.. I miss that. .but more. .I miss havin' your arms around me. .feelin' your heartbeat against my arm. ..the feel of your hands washin' my hair. ..the little things."

Rude nodded. He felt lower than a bug squished in dog droppings on the bottom of a shoe.

Reno slid next to him. .leaning against his chest, inhaling his scent as if to hold onto it forever. ...then. ..those shoulders, so much thinner than they'd been just a week before, begin trembling.

Rude frowned, and found that, for the first time in a long time, he was totally unable to read Reno.

Then he'd feel the moisture against his shirt. .the sobs were silent, but they shook the tiny frame so hard now anyone within two tables would notice. ..but he simply didn't care.

Rude lifted his arms awkwardly. He wasn't sure if it would be okay to wrap them around Reno to comfort him... but he had to try. He tentatively set his arms around the redhead's shoulders, trying to feel out his acceptance.

Reno threw his own arms around him as the stress of the past week flowed out of him. .this. ..this is what he'd wanted. ..what he'd NEEDED, so horribly.

Rude just held him, his arms tightening slightly. He... he could do this. He had to.

"I thought. ..I thought I'd lost you forever. .." the words were choked out between the sobs. "I couldn't stand that, yo. ..You're mi corazon. .."

Rude nodded, breathing deeply into Reno's hair as he held back his own sobs. He'd done more than enough crying over the past several hours.

"How'd it happen? How did shit get so fucked up? five years. ..not a sign o' somethin' like this then suddenly shit goes all ta hell in a Handbasket. .."

Rude took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't know"  
"I want it ta be like it was before. ." He whispered. "I don't know how ta live without you." Before siezing his lips again, tears falling on his husband's lips as he pressed for entrence

Rude opened his mouth, allowing Reno inside. Whatever the redhead wanted, Rude would give him. Whatever repairations he had to make, he would. 


	31. Chapter 31

Reno drew back, drying his eyes, then chuckled softly, slightly sadly. "m'face is all splotchy, I bet."

"Doesn't matter," Rude said softly, reaching out to run the back of his hand along Reno's cheek and jawline. "Still beautiful." See? He could be open and honest and all that shit.

"Ya know. ..never thought. .any of this would happen. ..an' I want you back so bad but I understand you're scared too, even if you won't say it. .." He looked up into those dark eyes that were beautiful to him, so very expressive, they told everything. ..probably why Rude hid behind those dark glasses so much. "Baby steps, right?"

"Something like that," Rude replied.  
He nodded, then leaned in for another kiss. ..eyes closing. ..showing that the trust was still there, despite it all. .that LOVE was still there. he didn't start crying again, but the emotion was too intense for anything approaching full arousal. ..his heart and spirit hurt being away from the big man.

As Reno leaned in, Rude remembered something his mother had told him a long time ago: Never trust someone who kisses with their eyes open. It was a strange thought to pass through his head as he too closed his eyes and leaned forward. This time, he kept his tongue to himself, instead just enjoying the press of lips and the sharing of breath.

"I . ..I prob'ly should go, uh? I haven't been sleepin' good at all since alla this started. ..and we got lotsa work to do over the next couplea weeks. He was afraid of some of his own past, but he didn't say it. ..it was time to stop hiding, to stop lying.

Rude nodded, then dropped his gaze to his lap. "Can I..." he started, paused, then started again. "Would you mind if I walked you back?"

"Was gonna ask anyway, yeah. ..I'd like that."

Rude's eyes smiled far more than his mouth did before he stood, holding a hand out to Reno. "I guess we better get going then."

Reno held out his hand. .they looked like a couple on a first date almost.  
Rude led them out of the diner, blushing slightly as their waitress waved at them and smiled knowingly.

As they reached the step of the hotel room, he leaned up, lips capturing Rude's.. .his eyes teared just the tiniest bit as he leaned against his chest, just listening to his heartbeat. "We're gonna make it, right?" he whispered.

A sound that could have either been an affirmative grunt or a shrug of uncertainty left Rude's throat. He wanted to believe, he really did, but he just... didn't trust himself around anyone anymore.

"If you don't believe. ..guess I'm gonna hafta do it for both of us. ." he stayed there for several moments more before turning and walking inside, no more words spoken. .Rufus and Tseng would know how his heart ached by the tightening in his shoulders though.

"Well?" Rufus prompted. Reno appeared to be unscathed by the encounter, which was a very good thing.

"Baby steps. .he. .he wants ta try. .'sjust hard for both of us."

"I understand," was all Rufus could think of to say.

"At any rate, should prob'ly try ta rest got a lotta work"  
Gladys as Rude came in hugged him. .."I know tihings will work out, you CAN do this. .but you have to believe." with that she pressed a kiss to his forehead before going up after the laundry.

Rude decided to just head straight up to bed. His entire walk back to his parents' house had him thinking of Reno, which always would make his pants feel too tight, regardless of whether they were fighting or not. He had to spend some quality time with Tabitha Thumb and her four sisters.

Reno's mood on the other hand was too intense for it instead he slept with dreams of Rude in his headboth good. ..and bad. The last one. .him laying where that kid in the club had been. .begging him to stop. .he awakened with a startled yelp. ..sweating. . .panting.

Rufus had been leaning against Reno's doorway, wearing an open robe and a loose pair of boxers that draped across his hips just so. He'd been watching Reno sleep since he heard the first scream.  
"R-rude. ." he scrambled backwards. "How long have you been standing there?"

Rufus shook his head, still not moving from the doorway. "It's me, Reno."

He got up. ..running to him. ."gods. .sorry. .." he shook his head."

Rufus shook his head again, gesturing with the hand that wasn't helping him lean against the doorframe for Reno to go back to sit on the bed. "Tseng heard you screaming," he prompted.

"Nightmares about him?" Rufus asked, his tone almost casual.

He nodeded now, face coloring in shame.

The blonde finally stepped away from the door, and walked towards the bed, his robe swishing just slightly as he walked. "Tell me."

"m'on the floor. .where that kid was. ..begging him to stop but he doesn't. ..an' those eyes are like ice. .so cold. ..emotionless."

Rufus nodded, sitting down next to the redhead. "And?" he prompted again. He had a feeling Reno wasn't telling him the whole story. However, he could be wrong; it was 3am, afterall.

"I woke up. ..last thing I see. .s'him walking away. ..leaving me there bleeding on the floor. .."

Rufus nodded, a tiny sound of acknowledgement leaving his lips. After a few moments, he asked, "Are you afraid he's really going to do that?" There was something to be said about hidden symbols in dreams, but sometimes the symbols weren't all that hidden at all. Sometimes, they were right in front of your face.

"I guess. .I'm more afraida him walking away. ..than anything else."

An arm snaked around Reno's shoulders, pulling the redhead close. "He hasn't done it yet," Rufus offered. It was the best he could do, just hold Reno and hope it was enough.

"I know. ..shit. .I know, m'stupid ta wanna leap right back into it like nothin' happened. ..told him we couldn't go on that way. ..now I wanna"

"You want to what?" Rufus asked, honestly not understanding the redhead's ramblings.  
"Wanna leap back into well. ..the whole relationship. ..with both feet. " it was late, he was tired, shaken up. ..likely was rambling.

"What you want and what is best are not always the same thing," Rufus said, gently leaning Reno back onto the bed. He shifted, allowing the redhead back under the covers. "Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

"Yeah. ..if I start screamin' again. .there's a bottle in my bag. .get out one gelcap an' bring it in. .don't use 'em often, but when I do. ..well now ya see why."

Rufus nodded, shifting himself so he was laying on the bed beside Reno, his arm around the redhead almost protectively.  
Reno let off that little twitch as he slipped back into sleep.  
Tseng stood now. "It's not going to be an easy path to wak,"

"I know," Rufus said quietly. He moved his head slightly, indicating that he wanted Tseng to lay with him as well. Perhaps it would be best for all of them if someone stayed with Reno thoughout the night.  
Tseng strode in, curling up on the other side..."He has more courage than I'd imagined possible, how long, I wonder, had he had inklings of what he was dealing with"  
"Probably longer than he'd like to admit," Rufus replied, reaching out to brush his fingertips across Tseng's lips.

Tseng reached over and stole a kiss over Reno's head, one that is gentle. "Probably so. ..how did WE miss it?"

"If you recall, we were a bit... preoccupied," Rufus said, scratching unconsciously at the back of his hand where the Geostigma had been.

"Yes, I guess we were. .."

Rufus sighed. "Perhaps... we should wait and see what happens before we interfere any more."

"Yes, I believe you're right. Though as you have said before, to lose one. ..likely means losing both."

"Have a little faith, Tseng," Rufus said with a soft smile. "I believe we are both underestimating the desire these two have to be together, come what may."

Morning came, as of course it must, to the smell of coffee, and bags by the door.

Rufus had slept through any movement on the bed, but the smell of coffee brought him gently into wakefulness.  
Reno had all three of their bags next to the door, he was sitting at the table, drinking some coffee with Tseng across from him, he looked slightly more rested, but not much.

Rufus ran a hand through his sleep-rumpled hair, padding across the room to the coffee machine, his robe falling off one shoulder as the bottom of it trailed behind him like a wedding train. "Morning," he said, voice a little gravelly from sleep.

"Morning, got coffee, room service's comin' with breakfast in a few."

Rufus nodded, pouring himself a cup. He hadn't slept well, what with waking up periodically to make sure Reno was still there, still okay. How many times had the redhead looked out for him? It was time he returned the favour.

In truth Reno had had one more nasty nightmare during the night, but had barely moved. ..the warmth of his boss and Tseng on either side of him had melted the icy fear away. .he finished the rest of his first cup as room servce came in with bacon, egg and pancake platt

Rufus dove into breakfast, rather hungry for no particular reason. He rolled up a few pancakes with eggs and bacon in the middle of them, drizzling syrup over the whole mess before eating it.

"uh, boss.. that looks. ..just ew."

"It all ends up in the same place anyway," Rufus offered, taking another bite. He'd managed to slip the robe off to avoid getting syrup on the sleeves, leaving him dressed only in a pair of loose fitting boxers.

Tseng chuckled. "He's right you know."

Rufus just nodded and grinned, going back to the main tray for seconds.

Reno then calls Rude, his voice hushed.

"Hello?" Rude answered his phone, finally fixed, voice a little groggy.

"Hey, we leave in 90 minutes. ..do you think it'd be allright if I came over and told everyone goodbye?"

Rude cleared his throat, trying to get the grogginess from it. "Yeah, sure."

"Be over in 20, I need ta shower and change real quick. His own voice was somewhat shakey from sleep still. ..he'd debated about telling Rude about the nightmare, but wasn't sure if he should.

Rude grunted an affirmative sound, then hung up. He needed a shower. And not just because it was morning. Appearantly, his unconscious mind had been working overtime, making him have to change the sheets as well before he left.

Reno as he climbed into the shower called back "Hey, you guys used up all the shampoo." with a little chuckle, a nervous one.

Rufus walked into the bathroom, rummaged around under the sink, then handed a small bottle over the top of the shower curtain. "You're just not used to sharing a bathroom with someone who has hair like yours," he said before padding back out to finish his breakfast.

"Thanks, yo. .yeah, bald men, no hair ta wash."

Rufus, instead of going towards breakfast, instead ran a finger across Tseng's cheek. "He'll be in there for at least another 20 minutes," he said suggestively.

Tseng nodded, climbing over onto the bed, his hair loose.. lifting that one dark brow in a suggestive manner as well.

"You undo me, Tseng," Rufus nearly moaned, pushing his boxers past his hips and letting them fall to the floor before stepping out of them. With a rather seductive smile, he crawled onto the bed, eyes not leaving the elder man's.

"Do I.. ." the Wutain purred, sliding out of his robe, the black silk boxers sliding off as well, he took Rufus into his arms, lips meeting his gently. .. then his tounge dove in ..he knew Rufus liked his darkly seductive topping, it was his relaxation, his chance to get away from the stress of having to control every aspect of the rebuilding. his hands found the tube of ky inside his bag, he squeezed out a bit within his palm. ..running his lubed fingers over Rufus' back, then following with kisses before his fingers found that puckered passage. ..brushing all around it before delving inside, working past the resistance.

Rufus moaned, pressing himself back against those fingers. Tseng always knew what he needed. Always. It was part of the reason why he loved the man.

Tsegng chuckled darkly wiggling them around, finding all the right places while the gel on his fingers warmed. .. Rufus would then feel the slightest touch of cold steel on his skin, not enough to make him bleed, just the tiniest whisper-scrape, just as he slid ever so slowly ihnside.

A gasp shot from Rufus' mouth at the cold touch, followed by another one as Tseng entered him. His eyes were wide, almost fever bright, as he twisted slightly to look behind him at the elder man. "What are you doing, Tseng?" he asked, no fear in his voice at all.

"You said you wanted me to break out the dagger, correct?" Those dark eyes glinted teasingly.  
"You are correct, my love," Rufus purred, wiggling his hips slightly as if trying to get the elder man to move.

Tseng begins moving slowly. ..very teasingly. ..sliding first the blunt side of the dagger along that pale, slender back before turning it over to the blade itself.. .with each motion the tiniest of cuts. ..he licks the blood from each one, his control is ever so perfect. .he brushes the spot inside with each thrust as well.

The pleasure of feeling Tseng inside him cuts off sharply into pain with each of those tiny cuts, only amplifying the pleasure more when it returns with another thrust. Rufus moaned Tseng's name, his hips moving in minute little counterpoints to each of his lover's thrusts.

Tseng moans softly, his own pleasure rose with each thrust as he tossed the dagger onto the nightstand, taking Rufus into his hand, he knew once he got past a certain point that precise control would no longer be possible, and he had no wish to do true injury to this beautiful creature.dark hair fell about his shoulders, as his face took on this look of rising passion.

Rufus gasped loudly, the sound ending in more of a pleased moan as he came, muscles fluttering over the man buried inside him. He had to lock his elbows to keep from falling face first onto the bed.

Tseng was quickly behind him, muffling the soft hitching cry in Rufus' shoulder as he filled the man below him. ..he rolled from him, cleaning them up with the wetnaps from the breakfast trays.

Rufus had to fight to stay awake; the afterglow made him want to just curl back up under the covers with Tseng.

"I would love to as well, but we must shower and dress as well." hhe chuckled hearing a soft panting moan from the bathroom, the moan ending in Rude's name.

Rufus raised an eyebrow then laughed. "Seems we weren't the only ones looking for a little release." He stretched, his knee popping loudly, then got off the bed, searching for his clothes.

"He deserves it, love. .it's been a rough couple of weeks with the near-constant tension between them."

"I know," Rufus answered, holding his clothes in one hand and leaning in for a naked hug. An almost mischevious smile crossed his face. "Shall we get him out of there so we can get going?" he asked.

"I think we should. .. " Tseng then strode in, flushing the toilet, which elicited a startled yelp from the redhead within the shower enclosure as the water turned arctic

Reno growled when he almost SHOT out of the shower, whacking Tseng in the ass with his towel.

"Not quite what I had in mind, Tseng," Rufus laughed, holding his stomach. "However, it worked quite well."

"You, Tseng, are evil, yo." Reno got into a pair of jeans and a cotten t-shirt, he was NOT wearing his uniform for the 7 hour boat ride and then 4 hour drive back to Edge. he may be reckless, but he was far from stupid.

Rufus laughed, sticking his hand into the shower spray to make sure it was warm again before stepping inside.

Reno walked out, striding over to Rude's parents...knocking gently.

Eric answered the door. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he asked, face holding a sneer.

"I just came to say goodbye to everyone, you got a problem?"

An almost rueful sounding laugh came from Eric as he stepped aside to let Reno in. "Wouldn't say I'm the one with the problem."

"At leas I'm not the one who got hit." he remarked as he stroode in, looking first for Bernard.

"Give it time," Eric tossed over his shoulder as he went up the stairs. "He'll make you his bolso de perforación soon enough."

"you wish. ..he was willing to do the work tpo make things better for me."

"Whatever, mono del asno," Eric tossed back. He always had to have the last word.

"Reno? What on earth are you doing here?" Bernard asked, coming into the room from the kitchen. His hands were covered in grease, and he was cleaning off what looked like a spark plug with a rag.

"Came ta say goodbye ta everyone before we all left. ..no matter what's goin' on between your son n' I. .you're still family ta me."

Bernard nodded once, then stuck out his grease covered hand.

Reno shook. "We're headed to Edge. ..we're gonna try ta make things work. ..hopefully. ..next time we come to see ya there won't be so much insanity"  
"In this house?" Bernard snorted, making his way towards the back door. "That'll be the day." With that, he was gone.

Next was Sam. ..he looked for the older brother and found him in the attic. "Hey. .."

If Sam could have knocked over anything else around him, he would have. As it was, he was just startled to the point of flailing wildly for only a moment. "Reno! Hey, hi, um..."

"Came ta say goodbye. ..Rude an' I are going into Edge ta try ta work shit out. .." He opened his arms for a brotherly hug. ..so much had changed since they'd come here. .this trip where he'd discovered so much, some of it now he wished he hadn't, but at least it ws out in the open and could be dealt with.

Sam returned the hug, then asked, voice shakey, "Is um... Is Elena going with you?"

"She hasta, but she'll be comin' back ta see ya I'm bettin'."

A nervous laugh broke from Sam. "Did she find out if she was... ya know?"

"If she is she hasn't told anyone yet."

Sam's eyes couldn't get any wider.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya, Sam. ..Elena's a big girl. ..but I still expect ya to be good ta her. ..no matter what the results are."

A slight look of relief flickered over Sam's eyes. "I... I'm just not sure I'm ready to be a father yet."

"Sam. ..I. ." and he broke off unsure how to broach the subject. "It's about. ..well. .."

He mistook Reno's words entirely. "See, it's not that I didn't want to use protection. She just... she said it would be okay, and it felt so damn good. I mean, you're a guy, you understand, right?"

"Yeah.. do I. ..Sam. ..do you think. ..do you think we can fix things? Is it possible? Or am I just hopin' for nothin'? You're fairly immpartial in the situation."

"Farthest thing from impartial," Sam said carefully. He took a deep breath. "Rudy's my brother, so in my eyes, he can do little wrong. I can't tell you how many times I bailed his ass out, telling myself it was the last time I would. Everything he's done... and Eric's done, for that matter..."

"I love him, you know that, Sam. ..Love him so much bein' away from him this last week has HURT. . .I mean he's willing ta try to get help now, that's a god sign, right?"

"I can't tell you what to do," Sam said after a moment's thought. "All I can say is, do what you think is right. Other than that... I really don't have all the answers. Some big brother I am, eh?" A slight smile touched the corner of Sam's mouth.

"I'm scared, Sam. .." it was a hard admission." I'm scared we're going to do this an' it'll all be for nothin' anyway. ..but I know I need ta try."

"Whatever will be, will be," Sam said, offering his hands up. Typical Costan phrase.

"Guess so. ..well.. .tell him we're 'bout ready ta go. ..gonna say goodbye to your mom, then we gotta move. we got a 7 hour boat ride and a 4 hour drive aheada us to get back."

"Ouch," Sam said, wincing slightly. "I don't miss those..." He paused, finally smiling a real smile. "Take care of yourself, Reno. Maybe next time I'll stay with you and Rudy instead of you guys staying with us."

"Yeah. ..we'll invite ya after we got everything cleared up." With that he went hunting the house for Gladys, finding her putting more antiques on her shelves in the "junk room."

"Momma!" Rude called, his feet thumping as he ran down the stairs. He'd already said his goodbyes to everyone else, all that was left was his mother before Reno got there.

Gladys turned around "I'm in the junk room, Rudy"  
Rude walked quickly in that direction, but stopped in his tracks as a head of red hair stood in the doorway between him and his mother. "Reno," he said, a little out of breath. "You're early."

"Yeah, Tseng. .sorta finished my shower for me. he flushed."

"Oh," Rude said, tone indicating that Reno's presense was making him a little nervous. "I just need to say bye to Momma and we can go.  
"Came ta do the same. .." He backed up. .letting Rude say his goodbyes first.

Rude nodded, dodging his mother's antiques as he made his way towards her. "Guess the vacation's over, Momma," he said with a smile. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her fiercely. "I promise I'll try to be good," he whispered for only her to hear.

"You treat that boy good, you hear me? He's a good boy, and all he wants is to love you." She whispered back before letting go.

Rude nodded once. "Love you, Momma," he said, placing a kiss on his mother's cheek before turning to leave.

Reno bent in to press one soft kiss on Rude's cheek with trembling lips before stepping into the junk room. "I guess this is goodbye. .." He wasn't sure why there was such a sense of finality to that statement.

Gladys shushed him, smiling. "You say that like the world's going to end tomorrow." She took him into her arms for a hug, waiting for Rude to leave before saying quietly, "My boy's a little messed up sometimes, but he loves you. He might not show it all the time, but he does. Just... give him a chance to make amends." She stepped back to pinch his cheeks. "I'd hate to never see such a cute face again."

"We're gonna give it a go, ma'am. ..I. ..I don't know if I could take losing him.. "  
Gladys put her hands on her hips. "Now you listen to me, Reno. I will not have you leave my house in such a sour state." Her smile softened her face. "Just keep in mind that my Rudolph needs you just as much as you need him. Lord knows he'll never admit it, but he does." Her smile widened. "Now go," she said, shooing him with a pat on the bottom. "Don't need you missing your boat."

Reno gives her a hug. ..sniffling, pushing back his tears. "I love you momma.. we'll have all of you over once we've gotten everything fixed and know where we're going to end up permenantly."

She pressed a light kiss to the top of Reno's head. "Love you, too, honey," she answered. "Now, smile a little and get going! You have to get back to Midgar... Edge... Wherever!" She laughed.

He nodded, and out the door he went, when he stepped outside with Rude he gave the house one last long, appraising, almost longing look. "Well. ..guess we should go, huh?"

Rude nodded, lighting a cigarette before tossing the pack to Reno.

Reno took one out, lighting it up as they trailed back over toward the hotel. ..so much had happened in just that short span of time. ..from Friday until Sunday. .. in just 9 days his life had been turned upside down

Rude took a deep breath. He would never admit it, but he was afraid of seeing another shrink. The last one, that bitch Dr. Richardson, wanted to commit him. Who's to say this Chang fellow wouldn't want to do it, too?

"Ya know. ..even if shit goes swirly and ya do end up in a place for a bit. ..we'll make sure everything's still here for you to come back to. .and I am not gonna abandon you. ..an' I'll notthink any less of you. I've been inside one of 'those places' before, an' not all of 'em are horrible places." Yet another tidbit Rude had never known. ..when he'd been admitted for a week by Corneo because he'd tried to hang himself with his bedsheets.

"I'd rather die," Rude said plainly. And he would. He would rather die than be locked up in some looney bin. He wasn't the type to be in a nut house. He just needed a little counselling, that's all... not a full blown pass to Wacko-ville.

Reno just shook his head. "'snot too likely, though. ..and yeah, Richardson was a bitch." He opened the door to the room. "We're ready ta go"

Rude noticed that Rufus wasn't in the room, but he still stood at attention and saluted Tseng. "Sir," he said, voice crisp even though his navy blue track pants and 'ShinRa Security' t-shirt were a little rumpled. "I would like to apologize for my actions over the past few days, sir"  
"Forgiven, Rude. ..Rufus will be out in a moment, he is getting dressed."

"Thank you, sir," Rude replied. Ah, ShinRa training at its best. Speaking of, Rude thought absently, he needed to get back to the gym. He didn't want to get flabby.

Tseng set an arm over Rufus' shoulder as the blond exits the room dressed. "I believe we better go, the ship leaves in 10 minutes."

"Mr. President, sir," Rude greeted, against saluting. He repeated his apology to Rufus. If nothing more, it was for his own sake of feeling like he'd done his best to make amends for the time being.

10 minutes later, they boarded the ship for the long ride back, Reno's eyes had begun drooping he was brutally tired from the past week's stress.

Rude stood on the ship's deck, leaning against the railing as he enjoyed a cigarette.

Tseng stepped up onto the deck behind him, Reno had long since drifted off, Elena with her fingers running through his hair comfortingly.

"Sir," Rude acknowledged Tseng with a nod. He took another drag from the cigarette, then tossed it over the railing into the water. He waited a whole breath before taking another one from his pack and lighting it. He would have offered the pack to Tseng, but as far as he knew, the man didn't smoke.

"I simply wished to tell you. ..I do have faith in you. ..and it is confirmed, you will be 'Uncle Rudy' soon enough. .though she's not told Sam yet, as she just got up the courage to find out for herself and the phones don't work well aboard ship."

The cigarette dropped from Rude's mouth as he coughed. "What!" he choked out, still trying to catch his breath.

"Yes Rude, you heard me right."

Rude opened his phone, confirming that there was, indeed, no signal. A million questions raced through his head. What about her job? What about her health? What was Sam going to think?

"She will be given less physically dangeroua assignments until movement becomes difficult, at which time she will be given leave."

"Permanent leave?" Rude asked. He could recall several times when female Turks who didn't follow the company's policies were given a permanent form of maternity leave.

"No, Rude.. Times have changed since Jack was in charge." He chuckled. "She will be given leave for the remainder of her pregnancy, then child care will be arranged for the child when she has to go on assignments."

Rude nodded, deciding it was probably safe to attempt to smoke another cigarette, considering the last one had rolled right off the deck. "And Sam?"

"He will be given the choice of whether or not to marry her, but he will be required to pay support for the child whatever his decision."

"Sam's no deadbeat," Rude said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"I know" With that he strode back in.

As the docking call rang through Reno let out another sharp screech.. .he'd been yanked out of sleep once more. .."fuck. ..hate how the stress resolves itself. ..makes for rough sleep."

"Reno," Rufus chided lightly, rubbing his ears. "Close quarters"  
"Sorry, yo. ..'snot like I can do anything about it with my pills in the cargo hold."

Rufus just rolled his eyes.

Rude had finished his cigarette and walked carefully into their room on the ship.

Reno's eyes greeted his with a shaken look, but he shook it off, heading for the gangplnk as they called for deboarding.

Rude followed at a slower pace, keeping himself several steps behind the redhead.

Reno turned back. ..his look saying it all. .the want and longing in them. ...but also those tiny traces of fear.

Rude sighed, pulling out another cigarette before offering the pack to Reno. He was becoming quite the chain smoker, lately.

"Thanks. ." His eyes held traces of the nightmares, but he didn't speak of them. ..how could he tell the man he loved above all others that he was also a little afraid of him?

"You can talk, if you want," Rude offered, looking more at his shoes than anything else. "I promise I won't get mad."

"Nightmares. ..'bout. ..that night at the club. ..only.. .it was ME on the floor. .." the words were quiet, halting.

Rude started to say 'I would never...' but could he really, honestly say that? Could he really, honestly promise that he wouldn't do it? Especially with the whole Josh incident back at the forefront of his mind. His mouth just opened and closed as if he were a fish out of water.

"I don't wanna be afraida you anymore. ..I wanna love you. ..it's all I ever wanted. . ."

"I know." Wow. Rude's shoes must be the most fascinating thing on the planet... considering how much he was staring at them.

Reno flings himself against Rude, capturing those lips. ..Rude would be able to feel the semi-firm member against him. .despite his whirl;ing emotions, Reno still found him eminatly sexy..

Rude had to quickly move his cigarette out of the way to avoid burning Reno, but when those lips touched his... it was like he was drowning and really didn't care. He used his free hand to pull him closer, lining their bodies up as best he could as he delved his tongue into that willing mouth.

Reno managed to only let one tear escape this time, though it fell in between the entwined mouths, the salt hitting Rude's tongue as Reno's crossed the passage between them.

That little taste of salt broke the spell, and Rude pulled himself away, reluctantly. As loose as those track pants were, they didn't hide the erection he was trying to hide in there. However, it wasn't the right time. Not yet. He took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm... I'm still not ready yet." 


	32. Chapter 32

Reno backed up, and nodded, picking up his bags. He understood.. .didn't mean he had to like it, though.

Rude picked up his bags as well, gesturing with a nod towards the car that Rufus had obviously gotten for them.

Reno strode toward the car, dropping his bags in the back with an audble "plop" that told of his feelings with the whole situation. He still didn't know HOW his life had spun so far out of control, and he didn't like it one bit.

Rude added his bags to the trunk, then, ever the gentleman, opened the passenger door for Reno to get in. See? Baby steps.

He got in with a little nod, and a slight smile...leaning in to press another kiss on Rude's cheek as he did.

Rude closed the door carefully, then went around the car to get into the driver's seat. "You can sleep, if you want," he offered, starting the car and putting it in drive. "It's going to be four hours until we even see Edge."

Reno nodded, propping his head back against the headrest, he knew Rude would see the circles under his eyes, and the weight he'd dropped once again from the stress of this whole mess. Not that he was ever that big to begin with, so when he dropped even as little as 10 pounds it really showe

Rude was nearly silent as he drove. Occasionally, when a good song would come on the radio, he would very quietly sing the words, but for the most part, he was silent.

Reno turned his head to one side, when he begins twitching with Rem the words. "Don't walk away. . .please. .I don't care what you do or did anymore, just stay" were barely audible.

Rude lit a cigarette, then gently placed his free hand on Reno's knee. Nothing more than a touch of comfort, it was... one of those baby steps Reno kept talking about.

Reno stilled at the touch, seeming in his sleep to almost lean into it. ..it was once said that in dreams the truth would always out, whether the dreamer liked it or not.  
Rude sighed, the exhale of smoke making the car a little foggy before it flowed out the cracked window.

As they pulled into Edge and he began stirring, he sat up, rubbing his eyes in a boyish manner. "We here?"

Rude nodded. "Hotel or meeting with the doctor first?" he asked, steering his way off the highway and into town.

"Hotel, need ta put our things away, and in desperate need of a shower. road dirt makes my hair clump." He wriggles his nose.

A light chuckle left Rude's lips as he pulled onto the hotel's street. Within minutes he was parking the car and they were carrying their bags towards their rooms. Rude had insisted upon seperate, but directly next to each other, rooms.

Which of course Reno didn't care for. ..he missed the big man, missed him desperatly. .ah well, at least the bathroom was adjoining and between the two rooms, so maybe he could talk Rude into joining him in the shower to wash his hair.

Rude set about unpacking almost immediately. "How long until our appointment?" he asked.

"Two hours. .." and he held up a shampoo bottle, his face so hopeful it was almost painful.  
m A tiny flash of fear passed behind Rude's dark sunglasses. Should he? Shouldn't he? On one hand, washing Reno's hair was one of the things that comforted him. On the other, he wasn't sure he could resist Reno's inevitably insatiable libido... which he thought would just set them back in their recovery. On the other other hand, perhaps it was just what he needed to get back into some semblance of normalicy. After a moment to make up his mind, he finally nodded once.  
Reno let loose one of those soft, genuine smiles, the ones that seemed to stand the world on its ear and fill an entire room with sunlight as he got undressed. ..blushing just a shade as he noted with ihs hands how the three bottom ribs on each side were almost protruding, making a note to himself he needed to bulk up a bit once this whole mess was over.

Rude tried not to steal glances at Reno while he undressed. Where the redhead had lost weight, Momma's cooking seemed to be working horrors on his six-pack. Ah well. Nothing a few hours at the gym every night for the next month wouldn't fix.

He opened the door to the adjoining bathroom now, gesturing Rude inside. . .turning the water on and adjusting the temperature to something in between what he would normally like and what Rude would. Compromise, right? Key to making the whole thing work.

Rude walked into the bathroom, hands covering his stomach. He was far more self-conscious about his six pack becoming a four pack than he was about the way his cock was slowly filling at the sight of Reno's nudity.

"Oh, Mi Corazon, I don't mind a little flab, though I could use it a bit more than you." He chuckled, leaning up against the larger man, leaning up to press a soft kiss on Rude's lips. ..it was as if he was drinking him in.

"You can have it," Rude laughed, breaking the kiss, though there was a slight bit of nervousness in that laugh. "Besides, a little flab leads to a lot of flab." He paused. "You gonna hit the gym with me?"

"'course, need ta redefine the weight I need ta get back, don't want it turnin' into flab, either."

Rude chuckled. "At least it didn't go to my ass," he muttered good-naturedly, gesturing for Reno to step into the shower first.

Reno stepped in, heading immediatly under the spray, his heart lightening by the moment just having Rude here with him. ..he tentativly reached back to touch Rude's crotch, just a light, feathery touch, gauging his reactions. ..He didn't want Rude afraid of what he might do to him any more than he liked being afraid of the big man.

Rude gasped and froze. His thoughts flew from that first night they'd had in his bathroom, to how they always seemed to have shower sex, to how much he was afraid of hurting Reno, then to how nice it would be just to press the redhead against the wall and reclaim what was his.

"Open up ta me.." he whispered.

Rude gulped, his words telling a completely different story from his body. "I... I'm not sure if that's such a good idea..."

Those eyes were begging almost...he reached up as he turned around, capturing Rude's lips with his own.

Emotion fell from Rude like the water falling from the showerhead. With a nearly possessive growl, he pulled Reno flush against his, grinding his hips against the redhead's and staking his claim on that ever so talented mouth.

Reno moaned into that mouth. .yes.. . yes, this is what he'd wanted so badly. ..he did however begin to gentle the kiss, just a bit.his hands running up and down Rude's chest

Rude nipped at Reno's lips and tongue, but when he tasted a drop of blood, he pulled away, looking for all the world like a deer in headlights. He stepped back, moving until his back hit the shower wall. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, eyes wide.

" 'sokay. ..don't turn away. .please. .." his whole body thrummed with the need for Rude's touch.

"I don't want to hurt you," Rude said plainly. He was certain Reno could see the mirrored need in his eyes, but he couldn't risk losing control. He couldn't.

"Nothing you could do would hurt me now but pushing me away. ..I. .I need you."

Rude was torn, and he was certain Reno could see it. After a few long minutes of mental deliberation, he finally held out his hand to the redhead.

Reno took it, then leaned against him. ..he was shaking with how torn he himself was, and he knew only one thing for certain, he needed Rude badly in his life, no matter the risks, he needed him.  
Rude pulled Reno close, just holding him under the warm shower spray.

Reno pressed another kiss to his lips, this one more gentle.. .whispering "I need you. ..never make me go. ..please. .." between the presses of lips that began to become desperate.

Rude answered by claiming Reno's lips again, one hand sliding around the redhead's shoulders while the other slid down around his waist, effectively holding him there with no means of escape without causing injury to the bald man.

Reno was going nowhere.. . he tamped down the tiniest sliver of fear, this is what he'd wanted. ..his arousal twitching against the big man's body. his eyes slide closed. ..a soft moan echoing.

Rude's fingers at Reno's waist played gently with the skin on his lower back as he gently pressed his hips against the redhead.

Reno lets out a soft gasp. "Love you. .gods do I. . "

"You can say no," Rude whispered against Reno's cheek. "Whenever you want, you can say no." He flicked his tongue out, pulling the redhead's earlobe into his mouth.

Reno shook his head, he didn't WANT to say no. ..he knelt, capturing Rude into his mouth, tounge laving around the head gently. ..he kept it gentle. ..slow. .loving.

Rude inhaled a gasp of breath when he felt Reno's mouth close around him. One hand shot out, holding onto the wall for support while the other hung at his side, fingers clenching and unclenching.  
Just as suddenly as he'd begun he stopped, throwing his legs around Rude's wasit, holding on tightly. ..driving Rude home with a desperation rarely felt. ..it felt so good to have him back where he belonged. .. he bit his lip to hold back the gasp at the electric shocks of the initial burning pain so as not to frighten him...he couldn't move without Rude's hands under his legs for support, but it felt good just BEING like this, his arms clenched tight around Rude's shoulders to hold him up, Rude inside him where he always longed for his partner to be.

One hand went under Reno's bottom to make sure the redhead didn't fall once he started climbing him, and the other went behind him as he took a step back, knees threatening to buckle as he felt himself slide home in the warmth of his partner's body. His breath was coming too fast as he just stood and gasped.

"home..." he whispered "You're. ..home. .." And with the support of Rude's hands he began moving slowly. ..almost torturously, that lithe body writhing with the need almost to draw Rude all the way inside him. .. to pull him in until they were one entity. . . .his breath in a hitching gasping moan at the first lift and fall.  
"Jesus, Reno," Rude gasped, his eyes wide. He took a few steps back until his back was against the shower wall and placed both hands under Reno, guiding him gently as he moved. Rude was silently thankful for the nonslip things at the bottom of the shower.

HIs lips silenced the protest, as he moved at first still haltingly and gently. ..his eyes beginning to tear a bit. ..then to overflow at the sheer relief of having the big man back. .even if only for this short slice of time for now. ..his breath coming in hitching tiny cries as each thrust hit that special spot inside. . ."never turn me away. ." he whispered against Rude's lips.  
Rude gasped against Reno's lips, claiming them. He really couldn't move with the position they were in, so he just helped the redhead with his movements.  
As his head reared back into the air, his back arching.. .he found his completion with his eyes clenched shut tightly. ..hair drifting down his back, moutth open as let out this soft, sobbing cry that sounded like it had the words "welcome home" interspersed with the hitching breaths. as he felt the force of his orgasm he clenched down hard on the big man.

The only part of Rude's mind that was working was screaming at him not to unlocking his knees and drop them. With another half-thrust into that clenching passage, he spilling himself within it, his fingers gripping Reno's ass tightly enough to possibly bruise.

Reno slid down him shaking like a leaf in relief and with the aftershocks that thrummed through him. "Welcome home" he whispered once more against the strong chest.

Rude couldn't answer; he only wrapped his arms around Reno and steered them under the shower's falling water. Was he home? Would he ever be again?

Reno handed back the shampoo bottle. ..limbs still trembling, but his face held a tentative smile.

Rude took the bottle, squirted some of the shampoo into his palm, then nodded with the tiniest of smiles for Reno to turn around.

Reno turned, and in a soft voice he said "You don't know.. .how bad I've missed tihs."

An affirmative grunt left Rude's lips as he started lathering up Reno's hair.

Reno again leaned into the touch. ..it wasn't much. .but it was something. ..more steps toward healing, which is what he felt both of them needed.

Rude closed his eyes as he worked the lather through Reno's hair, but when he opened them, he saw something that made him chuckle. He got closer to the mane for a better inspection, then let out a full blown laugh.

"what's so funny, yo?"

Rude grasped a single hair, pulled it out, and offered it up for inspection. "Getting old?" he asked, holding up the grey hair.

"Shit. ..stress yo. ..just stress..I am NOT gonna go grey."

Rude laughed, turning the redhead so he could rinse the shampoo from his hair. "Whatever you say."

Reno simply harrumphed, then smiled. "Stress is all it is. ..soon's this shit's over you won't find anymore." That smile grew impish.

Rude reached for the conditioner with a "We'll see."

"I'm glad you're here with me, even if you aren't ready for the next step yet. ..just. .THIS feels good"  
Another affirmative grunt from Rude, then he was helping Reno rinse the conditioner from his hair. A quick go over of himself with the soap, and Rude was done.  
Reno climbed out, getting dressed. .they'd be meeting the doctor, then Tseng and Rufus for lunch afterward...he felt much more himself, a little less out of sorts than he had the past week. He wore a pair of jeans and a soft linen shirt.

Rude dressed in a suit. Not his Turk suit, but a navy blue suit nonetheless. He felt more comfortable in a suit anyway.

"Guess we oughta go. ..." he gave another of those soft, hesitant, yet genuine smiles.

Rude nodded, topping the outfit off with his usual sunglasses. The cheap ones. There was no telling what would go down at this 'therapy session'.

Reno as a show of trust left his weapon on the table. He trusted Rude implicitly, and in leaving it he showed that "Oh, and don't forget, we're meeting Tseng and Rufus at the Red Door afterward." The place was swanky, but the food was GREAT.

Rude smiled and nodded, but he didn't tell Reno about his service pistol in the ankle holster. It was that same pistol that saved them from the Behemoth, and he'd taken to wearing it rather often. Besides, horrible thought of horrible thoughts, if he were going to hurt Reno, he wouldn't use a firearm.

Reno bent up for a kiss, and then they were out the door, Reno heading for the passsenger side without even a whiff of complaint. ..some things had changed.

Rude sat in the driver's seat, turned the car on, then asked, "Do you know how to get there?"

Reno nodded, showing him the simple map Tseng had downloaded and printed out. "'sright here, 3 blocks from the monument."

Rude nodded and they were off.

Reno bounced nervously when they arrived, not sure what to expect. ..they sat in the waiting room, he found himself with a sudden desire for a cigarette.

Rude had picked up one of the many out of date magazines on the table in front of them, choosing to read about Hojo's advancements in medical technology. Okay, so they were VERY out of date magazines.

Reno snorted at his choice of reading material. "If they only knew."

Rude shrugged, pushing his sunglasses back up and returning to the article.

As the receptionist came oout with the words "He will see you now" Reno's muscles tensed a bit. There was still SO much Rude didn't know. ..would he still want HIM when he found out. ..how sometimes he CRAVED the pain because it made him feel as if he was still alive?

Rude nodded, setting the magazine down, standing, then, with a single glance back at Reno, walking into the other room.

Reno followed, hiding his slight frisson of fear at that. ..

"Doctor," Rude greeted, holding out his hand for the man to shake.  
The doctor shook his hand, he was a slender Wutain man with his hair cut in a short bob that framed the delicate featured face. "Good morning."

Rude sat down in one of the chairs that were provided for them. He just waited for the doctor to speak. He'd never done the marriage counselling thing before, and he had no idea where to even start.

"It says you're here due to anger management issues. ..I've looked at your record, and I believe I can help the both of you find some sort of healthy balance." And then the words Reno had dreaded. ..how had the doctor figured him out so quickly. "You did not realize your husband has masochistic tendencies, did you? That may be part of what triggers a lot of this."

Rude frowned. He looked over at Reno, then his frown deepened. After a moment, he looked back at the doctor. "Is that why he's a cutter?"

"Yes, it is likely so. ..as well as his own form of release. .whereas you find yours in the usage of your fist. ..he finds his in damage to himself."

Rude continued frowning at Reno. "Is that true?" he asked.

Reno's brilliant red face told the entire story, as he nodded. "Yeah. .I used ta dam things up.. until it got to the point I got so numb that hurting myself was the only way I felt anything. ...When I met you. .. when we beca,me partners that changed. ..you taught me how to FEEL again. ..though I guess. ..somea it still lingered because yeah, when you mark me. ..or leave bruises behind afterward, or even when you make me bleed a little. ..it really turns me on. Hell, you don't even want to KNOW how much I got off on being cut that night."

If Rude's frown could have deepened any further, it would have. "That's... not normal." Okay, so he had to adjust his word choice from his initial assesment of 'sick' to 'not normal'.

"Never claimed ta be normal..." He blushed an even deeper red. "But I love it when you're loving and gentle with me, too. .when you make me feel like I'm the only one in the whole world that matters to you."

"You are the only one who matters," Rude said.

Chang turned to Rude now. "You strike me as the sort who is someone who when he chooses a mate, it is for life. .so I am sure Reno's flirtatious nature bothers you at times...which is where a lot of that pent up rage likely stems from. ..instead of getting angry. ..have you ever just tried TELLING him it bothers you?"

"I don't want to upset him," Rude explained, his tone almost blank. "He's had it hard enough in his life so far. He doens't need me to nag at him."

"Hey, if you'da told me it bugged you, I'da stopped oding it. .." He just shook his head. "I'm not as delicate as ya think. .I WANT you to be honest with me. .if somethin' bugs you, tell me. I'll stop doing it."

"I don't want to be a nag," Rude said again, this time to Reno instead of the doctor.

"I'd rather have ya nag then do what ya do when things get ta be too much. ..and it's not naggin' ta just tell me. .." He softens the sting of the words with a gentle smile.

"When you don't clean your hair out of the shower drain, it bothers me," Rude said. His stright face and even tone would have been a hilarious straight man act were it anyone but Rude.

"Heh, I can take carea it, no problem. " He again smiles that gentle smile. ..they were little things, but the little things grew into the bigger ones.

It was like that story about the wife who got so pissed off over her husband leaving the cap off the toothpaste every day that, after 10 years of marriage, killed him. "And when you flirt with the President in front of me."

That one left Reno lofting a brow. "Didn't realize it was flirting. ..though if the fact that we're friends bothers you I'll keep it a little more formal."

"He still has feelings for you," Rude said plainly.

"I did realize that.. 'swhy I've been tryin' ta be careful about how I act. .. an' why I'm glad he's with Tseng now. .is that what triggered that. .thing. .on the floor of the club?"

"Do you still love him? Still want him to fuck you?" A tiny hint of jealous anger slid into Rude's tone.

"No..no I don't.. ." He kept his voice calm. "Oh. ..you're upset about his reception. ..that was crazy. ..and when it happened we were all a little fucked up. ..something which I'll probably never forgive Eriic for btw...no matter what my dick says. . .my heart's with you, yo. ..has always been. .you may not believe that right now, but it's the truth. If it weren't. ..I wouldn't be trying."

"Then why were you hanging all over the President's doppleganger at the club?" he asked plainly, the anger in his tone turning into accusation.

"I was dancing. ..and yeah. ..maybe I stil find him attractive, but for it to go beyond the physical. ..ain't happenin'. and it was more he was hanging all over ME. my only crime really. .and I freely admit it, was letting him. . .partly because I was still a little torqued off with you. .." He suddenly chuckles. "Sounds like you aren't the only one who needs healthier methods of expressing your anger, eh?"

Rude snorted, but left it at that. After a moment, he remembered that 'leaving it at that' wasn't what they were there for and spoke up. "What were you pissed about?"

"The whole mess with Eric. .I felt like you weren't willing to stand up for me. ..know why now.. .and in retrospect can't blame you for it."

"I did what I could," Rude said, opening his hands and looking at them as if they were foreign to him. "I swore I would never strike him again, ever. And Eric... he doesn't understand unless he gets hurt." He looked up at Reno. "I was doing the best I could."

"I understand that now. .I didn't then. .I'm sorry for bein' mad about it...or at least for handlin' it the way I did. ..it was wrong."

"And when you drink out of the milk carton instead of use a glass," Rude said, almost offhandedly. There was a whiplash topic change back to what Reno did that bothered him.

"So I'll use a glass.. ." He shrugged. these were petty items, things he could solve...but he wantedback at the meat of the problems so he could solve them. ..they'd been making some REAL progress for a moment there, and he knew it. "Back on the subject... how do you think you could handle a situation like the kid at the club more effectively than beating him up? Unlike a few of the ones you've run into, something tells me he would have backed off...and from what I have in my information from the police report, he DID attempt to back off."

"I wasn't in my right mind," Rude stated plainly. "Usually, I would have let Reno handle it. He's a big boy and can take care of himself. But I was too high to care."

"I see. ..so the best thing for you to do then would be to not become intoxicated in situations which you feel might trigger that rage. That then would be my best reccomendation. I would reccomend you not use intoxicants of any sort but I doubt that would be acceptable. So then my reccomendation would be avoiding the substance that triggered it altogether. ..that means BOTH of you, which I understand reno had difficulties with the substance in his past anyway, so I would make that suggestion for him as well. I also feel sticking to the BIGGERissues trhat bother you would be advantageous.such as the issue of him flirting with others."

"I'm not a Makohead," Rude protested. "I told Reno I don't usually like it. It makes me mean. I TOLD him." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking for all the world like an overgrown child.

"Then simply stay away from it. .I do understand it was YOUR idea that night however." Chang just shrugged. he was completely used to dealing with recalcitrant patients. "Shifting the blame will help neither of you at this point. ..we are here to create a workable solution, are we not?"

Rude just sighed, still looking like an overgrown child getting lectured on why you couldn't play baseball in the house... especially in Momma's junk room.

"I have no intention on lecturing anyone, Mr Urar. ..simply to help you avoid another Miller incident, that is what we are here for, correct?"

"Josh Miller was..." Rude paused, and if he had hair, his hand would have ran through it. "I was young, and stupid, and didn't know better."

"Tell me. ..can you be COMPLETELY certain it will not happen again?" Ah. ..the heart of the matter.

Rude opened his mouth, the 'yes' clear on his tongue... until he glanced over at Reno. Only, it wasn't Reno he saw. It was Josh. He loved Josh, loved him dearly, but he, like Reno, didn't know when enough was enough. Josh was all fun and games and 'it was just a kiss, get over it. It's you I love'.

"Listen...if the flirting bothers you that much. ..I won't do it anymore. I love you. ..you are the only one I love. ..but I'm not doing it because I'm afraid of you. .I'm doing it. ..because I wanna show you I mean it about making things work. .." And there had been the thing Josh had NOT been willing to do. .lay it on the line. ..make a change that needed to be made in order to make it work. ..to compromise. "Now, that doesn't mean things'll never get outta hand, after all, I can only control my OWN actions, not what other people do. ..but if it happens it's not gonna be something I did."

All Rude could think about was the last arguement he had with Josh... the one that had spiralled so far out of control. The past caught up with him, holding him, making him relive it after it being supressed for so long. "With you it's never anything YOU did!" he yelled, standing so fast that the chair he was sitting in fell over. "You do this shit just to piss me off, just to see if I'll respond. What? Don't you think I fucking care about you enough? Is that why you have to see just how fucking jealous you can make me?" he paused for a breath, then continued, this time pointing his finger at Reno, but still seeing his previous redheaded lover. "Or do you like it when I fucking hit you? You do, don't you? You only do this shit because you WANT me to fucking beat your ass!"

Reno was BLOWN by the pent up fury, but he didn't let it show. .."I guess. ..I guess I do do it ta push your buttons sometimes. ..not so much outta liking to see you jealous. .as it is. ..wanting to hear you tell me you care. ..You really are kinda close-mouthed about it sometimes. and yeah. ..I guess sometimes I think. ..I do deserve to be hurt. ..kinda twisted isn't it?" Again. ..the admission that Josh would never have made in a million years. ..it had taken this past week apart for Renot o really come to understand so much of what motivated the fighting.  
"Twisted? Twisted?" Rude's voice got colder with each word, dropping into that icy, telltale tone. "You want to see twisted, Josh? I'll show you fucking twisted." He wasn't even seeing the room around him, he was seeing that little studio apartment he and Josh had shared. He wasn't seeing Reno sitting there in jeans, he was seeing Josh sitting there, smug look on his face and black lipstick smudged across his cheek.

"Sir, please calm down, this will do you no good. "

"That's it, love. ..get it out of your system. ..work through it. ..you need to. .."And regardless of the risks to himself because he didn't feel himself to be all that important at the moment he strode over. ..wrapping his arms around Rude's wasit. ..it might not be the most intelligent thing to do. ..but it was all he could think of.

Rude pushed Reno off him, harshly. "Get off of me, you fucking whore!" However, the look on Reno's face gave him pause, brought him back to himself. "Reno..." he said quietly, turning himself away from the redhead. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't... I wasn't..." He was quickly going into shock, unable to comprehend what he had just done. Not only had he broken his promise to never lay a hand on Reno in anger, but he'd called his partner the one thing Reno detested most.

"shh.. you were not yourself. ..I forgive you. .I forgive you. .." and he wrapped his arms around Rude once more. .just holding him. "You needed to get that out. .. and it's better that you did. ..and now I know a lot of how to handle shit from now on."

"You aren't him," Rude protested quietly, a slight hitch in his voice telling of the tears he was holding back. "I shouldn't treat you like him... you're not him..."

"That's right. ..I'm not. ..but you needed to come to see that for yourself. .and now you have. .."

Chang at first had had the inkling to call for restraints, but when he saw how the man handled the situation, with a lot more patience than he would have expected considering his abusive past, he decided to simply let thing sfall as they would and mediate if necessary.

"I loved him," Rude said quietly, he voice only just above a harsh whisper. "I loved him so much, but he made me so mad... all the time. He was always doing stupid little things, just to see what I would do. He... he would go out with his friends and tell me about all the guys and girls that hit on him, just to see if I would go off..."

"An' sometimes I do it, too. . .but a lotta it is completely unintentional.. .and in some cases isn't anything I've done at all, though Gods know that doesn't help. ..I don't want to push your buttons. . .I. ..I just want ya to be a little more verbal about it sometimes. ...I know you aren't the most verbal person on the planet, never have been. ..but sometimes 'I love you' is nice ta hear."

A terrible thought crossed Rude's mind as he turned towards the doctor. "Do you... do you think the only reason I'm with Reno is because I can't be with him? Do you think I'm treating him like... like a substitute Josh?" The worry in Rude's voice was so think one could probably drown in it.

Chang shook his head "It may have begun that way. ..but he is a different person. ..and you love him for different reasons. If you did not things would have come to this point long ago."

"I..." Rude said, then paused. "I think I need a break." He pulled out his pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind if I step outside?"

"Certainly you may. I think I will speak with your husband a moment."

Rude nodded, offering a tiny smile to Reno before he walked out the door.

"I guess. ..this is about my own masochistic tendencies and how they don't help things, right?"

"Precisely," Chang replied. He looked down at his notes. "Now, you mentioned something about a reception...?"

"Boss's wedding reception. . .his brother drugged the wedding gift. .."

"Mmhmm," Chang said carefully. "Now, what did that have to do with your... penchant for self-injury?"

"I let Tseng cut me . ..and it actually felt GOOD. ..it made everything more intense. ..it's wierd. ..and yeah. ..probably pretty fucked up"  
"Good how? Did it make you feel good because you were being hurt and felt you deserved it, or was it because you truly enjoy the sensation of pain?" he asked.

"Not sure, maybe. ..a littlea both. . .I mean. ..I used ta cut because I was so numb emotionally I couldn't feel anything. ..so. ..I did it ta feel like I was still alive, ya know"  
midnight12181 (10/5/2006 3:56:01 PM): "There are more productive ways to 'feel alive', Reno."

"I realize that now. ..an' sometimes. ..it's also because I get so much shit built up. ..an' yeah, in a way I'm as bad as he is about it. ..I wanna use the physical pain to distract from the internal pain. .again not healthy. ..something I realize now. ..I'm sure. ..you know about the incident back at the condo in midgar, too."

"Tseng had informed me of that, yes," Chang said with a tiny smile on his face. "And that is precisely the reason you cannot let something like that happen again. When you injure yourself in front of someone with Rudolph's temperment, it is like silently giving them permission to injure you themselves. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes sir. ..I'm willing to do. ..what I gotta to fix this. ..I love him that much. .."

"And I would avoid anything more than vanilla in the bedroom for a while, if you know what I mean," he added with a slightly larger smile. "We don't need to give him any reason to act out on his more hidden urges, especially when he is unable to fully control them."

He nodded even though. ..well, for Reno no kinks was a hard thing.

Chang could read that look like a large-print edition of his favourite book. "I am aware that you are... adventurous in the bedroom, Reno. However, the less opportunities you give him to act out of control, the better for both of you in the long run. Wait until he has himself under control a little better, then you might bring up some of your more... interesting ideas"  
"Yeah. ..you're probably right. ..right now. ..I just want him back. ..an' I'm willin' ta put up with a few less than pleasent things ta have it."

Rude knocked gently on the doorframe before he came back in. "Thanks," he said quietly, uprighting his chair before he sat in it again.  
Reno shot a look over at Rude that spoke of the relief that MAYBE they were getting somewhere.

Rude quickly glanced over at Reno, then sighed and sat back, waiting for the doctor to speak again.

"I have advised Reno of a few things that may keep the situation under control until things work themselves out. I in all honesty feel you made qute a breakthrough today in realizing that despite him looking like Josh, he is not him."

Rude nodded.

"In any case, your hour is up. ..you may go now."

It was like the lunch bell rang in the middle of the school day, if one looked at Rude's face. "Thank you, Dr. Chang," he said, standing and holding out his hand for the doctor to shake.

Chang shook with a soft smile.

Rude nodded at the door, indicating that he would follow Reno out.

Reno strode out back into the sun, he reached up, spidering his fingers along Rude's cheek, those eyes were gentle, tender, something unusual in one normally so wild.

Rude leaned into Reno's touch, absently pulling his cigarette pack out, taking one, then offering the pack to Reno.  
mtwksgirl (10/5/2006 4:35:34 PM): Reno took it. took one out and as he held it out for a light he said "I think. ..I think we're gonna make it now. ..ya know?"

Rude grunted and nodded, holding out his lit lighter for Reno to light the cigarette with.

As the tip caught and he took a drag he leaned up. ..kissing him "Shit. ..feel. ..almost like we're on honeymoon. ..how odd is that?"

Rude shook his head. "Third date," he said plainly, taking a drag from the cigarette. "I usually don't sleep with anyone until the third date."

Reno laughed now, putting his arms around him, the bruises from earlier's tete a tete in the shower and the shove beginning to somewhat show, but it didn't matter one wit to him. He was. ..somewhat back where he belonged.

Rude reached across Reno's chest to lightly run a finger over one of the bruises on his arm. "Sorry," he said softly.

"Shit happens yo. ..and this was shit you'd had locked up for a LONG time. ..it needed ta come out, and a couplea little bruises are a small price ta pay for the health of your mind and our marriage."

"Guess so," Rude said, removing his fingers from the bruise. "Still sorry, though."

"Like I said. .. I forgive you." And his eyes peered intensely into Rude's" "Now forgive yourself. .. if ya don't forgive yourself. .don't let goa the rage that's not only at the shit that's happened but at yourself as well. ..ya can't heal."

Rude took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling fully. "Okay."

Reno reached up now, leaning on tiptoe to claim that mouth with his own. ..his eyes sliding closed. ..it was not so desperate. ..not so much to lay claim as to rebond. ..to reset that bond in more healthy patterns.

Rude kissed him back, but pulled away after a moment. "Aren't we supposed to meet Tseng and the President?"

"Yeah, we are. . " He looked at his watch. "Ten minutes, crap!"

Rude grabbed Reno's wrist and ran in the direction of the restaurant. It would be way faster to be able to cut through alleys and buildings than take the car.

Reno inhaled deeply to catch his breath as they entered. "Hey, boss. .. are we late?"

Rufus looked at his watch. "By 15 seconds," he said with a tiny smile.

Reno sat down, he looked. ..almost glowing. ..today had turned out just right even with the intensity.

Rude sat down next to Reno and nodded to their employer and his lover. It was going to be... a good day. 


	33. Chapter 33

Tseng gestured to the waiter to bring the menus out, they served both Costan and Wutain here, which was why Rufus had chosen it. "So, how did things go?"

"Fine," Rude replied, looking over the menu. He couldn't see himself eating Costan that wasn't his mother's cooking... and he'd been craving Wutan food for the last few days anyway.

Reno immediatly ordered his squid and dragon noodles. ..he hadn't had it in a long time. ..not since the incident last year that had started all of this.

"Drunken noodles," Rude told the waitress for his order. He lifted his water glass as well, indicating that he would like more water.

Tseng made his own order of some sushi, and a pot of the wutain tea.

Rufus chose to stick with the apparant theme, ordering lo mein and a bottle of expensive white wine.

Reno shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he knew Rufus would likely already have the full report in hand, he simply was not sure how much he felt comfortable discussing.

"I read Dr. Chang's preliminary evaluation," Rufus prompted. It was more a statement than anything else. If either of them wanted to offer anything up, he would let them. Otherwise, he'd just continue reading the reports.

Reno's cheeks pinkened. ..he knew what he'd found. ..not all of it pleasent.

"Would you two be comfortable discussing it, or would you prefer I left it alone between you and the doctor?" Rufus asked carefully. He took a small sip from his wineglass, smiling just slightly at the fine vintage.  
Michael TW Kelley: "'sjust. ..some of it is. ..well. ..embarrassing."

"As I mentioned, if you are uncomfortable, don't push it," RUfus said. "You are both going through trying times, and I would hate to be the cause of making it worse."

Reno gestured with his hands a moment to indicate the scars on his arms and his cheeks went from pink to red. "He asked me about. ..well. ..my own tendencies toward self-injury." Rude had been in there for only part of that conversation, but he felt his husband had a right to know.

"And...?" both Rude and Rufus prompted at the same time.

"He's right. .I do have a tendency to get myself into situations where I am likely to be injured. ..and yes I have. .doone it myself." He'd managed to hide it from Rufus during the time they'd been together, only Gods know how.

Rude didn't speak. He'd somehow known, or at least, always suspected, there was something else behind Reno's cutting. However, when he'd asked the redhead to stop, was it more for Rude or Reno's benefit?

Rufus just raised an eyebrow.  
"I guess...I'm just so used to fighting for my life that being in a situation where I don't have to feels..wrong, somehow, Gods, I don't know." How to articulate the feeling of spending your entire childhood on the run and fighting for survival?

Rude frowned. As far as he knew, that wasn't it at all.

"How does that tie into injuring yourself?" Rufus asked, slightly confused.

Reno shoook his head, this normally articulate man having so much trouble suddenly figuring out how to explain it. "I guess. ..I figure if I hurt myself first. ..it's not gonna hurt as bad when they do it...as well as just trying to feel. ..something. ..anything at all ..so many reasons, not all of 'em easy to put into words."

Rude's frown deepened. He couldn't even begin to understand where Reno was coming from, and he wasn't sure why, but it bothered him.

Rufus took another sip from his wine glass. "Prior to this meeting, were you aware you had these... tendencies?"

"Yeah. .but. .it was always under the surface...It'd usually only happen after a few weeks of putting up with everyone's shit. ..You know where I was before you found me, sir, and it was. ..not a good place ta be. Dad.. .he used ta hit me when I cried anyway. ..used ta say 'tears are for pansies and fags and women' " And there was part of the crux of the whole thing. ..before Rude he wouldn't cry. ..he had very few outlets for the more intense emotions so it was released through physical pain. . .after that the self-injury had become almost habit.

"Your father must've been taking notes from my own father's teachings," Rufus said carefully. It was common knowledge that the only legitimate ShinRa child was taught using the 'spare the rod, spoil the child' method.

"Prob' so. .he never touched my sister...she was 'his baby'.. ." His face pinkens at the reminder of what his father had done with Marcia was killed.

Rufus nodded, letting Reno continue if he had to.

"Never resented her or anythin', though. ..she tried ta protect me an' Mom the best she could. . .she died when I was 9"

"My apologies," Rufus offered. He was fairly certain he knew that little fact from Reno's file, but hearing the redhead actually say it made it more... real, for lack of a better word.

"Anyway. .it was after dad. .took his little revenge for that when the cutting started. .."

"I see," Rufus said, wondering, but not asking, what that little revenge was. He was fairly certain he could guess, but it wasn't his place.  
Reno pulled a sheet out of the report that was hidden in a sealed envelope. ..it had been ordred that only Reno had permission to open it, and he did so. ..inside it. ..was the medical report from when thee school had sent him to be seen when he'd collapsed in class. ..the only reason his father hadn't been arrested was he'd been too ashamed to tell who'd done it.

Rufus carefully read over the paper that was handed to him. Its contents were... most enlightening.

"That's when. ..well it started.. ." his face was still burning when he sealed it back up.

"My most sincere, deepest apologies," Rufus said carefully. If Reno gave him the word, the redhead's father was a dead man, if he hadn't already been killed by someone else.

"He died of cirrhosis when I was 10...only thing that pisses me off is the system missed it. Dropped the fucking ball."

"The system was significantly more flawed under my father's hand," Rufus offered.

However, he was interrupted from continuing by the arrival of their food.

Reno picked at his food, looking at the table as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. .. he flet DRAINED after opening that up to his friend and ex.

Rude ate like he hadn't eaten in days. The drunken noodles were delicious, and the fact that they put extra chopped peanuts on it was a lovely touch.

Tseng ate the sushi in a delicate manner, as he always did, sipping his tea after preparing it in the traditional wutain manner. He personally did not think that injuring oneself to keep others from doing so was particularly logical, but he was not about to say so.

Reno then looked up from his food, stealing glances at everyone, then began eating a bit more, but it was obvious he was forcing the issue.  
Rude poked at a piece of squid on Reno's plate. "You gonna eat that?" he asked, smiling gently in hopes of getting Reno to smile as well.

Reno gave him a soft, tentative smile, picking up the piece of squid and chewing on it. "guess I should, eh?"

Rude nodded, picking up and holding a bite of his noodles. "Try some. They're really good." Nope, he wasn't trying to get Reno to eat until he was filled to the brim. Nope. Not him. Not at all.

Reno took a small bite and nodded "These are good." He'd had no real appetite since this whole thing had started, and he knew Rude clucked when he lost weight because he worried. Reno,a fter all, didn't have a whole lot of padding to spare as it was, so when he got like this and started dropping weight it was a bad, bad thing.

Unlike Rude, who seemed to be gaining padding to spare. He finished 3/4 of his plate before offering the rest to Reno. The redhead needed to eat anyway.

Reno ate the best he could, he really did. ..at least he hadn't gotten bulimic like his sister had toward the end. ..eating to please Mum then going back to the bathroom and throwing it up. . she'd been pretty messed up before she died from watching the little family going swirly,

When their plates were cleared and dessert was turned away, Rude sat there, wondering what was on the agenda for the remainder of their time in Edge. If you asked him, he and Reno didn't need any more counselling sessions; they got what needed out in the open, and they would be fine.  
Reno just wanted to get an apartment if they were going to be staying here, swet up home, and get back into their lives. ..then get himself back into active duty. He missed the excitment.

"Is there anything else we need to do today?" Rude asked.

Rufus looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned to Tseng. "I have nothing for them. Do you?"

Tseng shook his head. "Go get yourselves set up, we'll likely be staying for a while as we oversee the rebuilding."

Rude nodded then stood. He glanced over at Reno to make sure he was coming, then walked outside. As soon as he was there, he lit a cigarette, passing it to Reno before taking out one of his own and lighting it.

Reno took the cigarette gratefully, then started looking around. "So,,guess we sjhould start lookin', huh? You'll probably want a two bedroom at first. ." He was still increasingly nervouse about how things were going to go.

Rude took a deep breath. "I can survive a one bedroom," he said carefully. After the breakthrough of the morning, he was certain he could handle sharing a bed with Reno. And if things got too bad, there was always the couch.

Reno seemed to cheer at that statement, and went to buy a paper so they could look through the ads together.

Rude smiled as he followed Reno, but he took a deep breath as well. This was it, another one of those baby steps... Then why didn't it feel like a baby step? Why did it feel more like a leap?

Reno seemed almost to read that thought, and softly said "Leap of faith, yo, leap of faith." As he opened up the paper he saw the new complex. "Hey, this one's run by the same folks that ran our condo complex means it should be fairly well-maintained."

Rude raised an eyebrow. "Balcony," he said, indicating how much he'd liked their former place's look over the city.

"Yeah, though the view's not much yet."

A tiny grin peeked out from the corner of Rude's mouth. "Cat door?"

"Yep, though it's more like an oversize dog door. .. one of the other neighbors has a nibel hound for a pet." He chuckles.

Rude's eyes went wide. He could only imagine the cat and dog fight that could occur when Reno's cat met with that person's dog. He pulled out his phone, offering it to Reno. "You call."

Reno nodded, talking to the man for several moments and nodding with a wide grin. "550 a month? Plus utilities? Yeah, think we can manage that...yeah, we might need to upgrade to a two eventually but for now the one bedroom's fine. ..yeah, we'll be over in 20."

Only 550? Rude's eyes widened. "That's cheap. Wonder what's wrong with it..." he said. Their last place had cost well over 1100 a month... then again, that was a condo on the upper plate of Midgar in the ShinRa quarter.

"They make do with what they can since Midgar fell. ..'sgonna take a long time ta rebuild...until then they charge what the people can afford."

Rude shrugged. If the place was good, who was he to complain?

When they reached the complex it was not quite as run down as the rest of Edge, and it was in the city's ritzier quarter, to the south of the monument. It was 6 stories in height, with an outdoor pool in the back that looked to be well-maintained. "Looks nice."

"Let's see the inside," Rude said, opening the lobby door for Reno to enter first.

Reno opened the door, the lobby was as well kept as the pool, plants in the entrayway, and an elevator, something their other building HADN'T had...he was looking forward to NOT having to carry groceries up three flights of stairs.

Rude nodded. He had to admit, he was impressed. "So far, so good," he said quietly with a smile.

They met the caretaker of the building, who showed that it had a private gym, as well as another pool, this one a lap pool indoors for winter use. then the condo itself. It had a white-laquered kitchen, a good size master bath, and a huge bedroom

Rude let out a low whistle. "Nice," he said, poking his head out onto the balcony.

"No problems for long with that six pack, eh?" He chuckled, the private gym had been one thing their landlord had been GOING to build in the other one before. ..well before Meteor destroyed all of his Midgar holdings.

Rude just smiled back. "We'll take it," he told the man, figuring that Reno was along for the ride as well.

"Heck yeah."

They filled out the paperwork quickly, and within the hour they were walking through their own, currently unfinished, condo. "Furniture shop today or tomorrow?" he asked.

"Today, yo. ..and we gotta pick up Livewire from the hotel before Rufus has him euthanized. ..he caught him and Dark Nation. ..well in compromising positions."

Rude's palm hit his forehead with a resounding smack. "If your cat made her a mommy... Rufus will have yours AND my balls."

"I think he stopped 'em in time. ..'snot my fault Darkie deems him worthy. . .an' ya know she's PICKY."

"Picky, sharp, pointy," Rude rattled off, deliberately misunderstanding Reno. He finally trailed off into laughter, having run out of sharp adjectives.

"Nah, yo.. .she's choosy about who she makes friends with."

"I know," Rude said, feeling good to have laughed. It felt like quite some time since he'd laughed at something that silly. "She didn't much care for you the first time she met you," he said offhandedly. "Perhaps I should've listened to her judgement..." His could be considered harsh words were offset completely by the smile that went all the way, and included, his eyes.

"Yeah, but then you wouldn't have had a chance ta have somuch fun. ..besides, I grow on you like a weed." And it hit him then. ..when was the last time they'd joked like this?

"Weed, mold, whatever," Rude said, pulling Reno into an embrace and laughing gently.

Reno leaned into him. ..suddenly shaking a bit, but when he looked up his expression was wistful, relieved happiness. "I missed ya big man. ..I really did." And he knew Rude would know exactly what he meant.

Rude nodded and smiled, squeezing just a little tighter before placing a kiss to the top of Reno's head and stepping away. "Furniture," he said, gesturing towards the door. "I'm not sleeping on the floor."

"Me, either, yo. My back would hate me forever."

Reno when they reached the furniture store took all of thirty seconds to make up his mind. ..the second he saw the cherry wood four poster in the front of the store with the king size soma mattress his mind was made up. "That. ..that's the one right there."

Rude walked around the bed, looking a little odd. "It's a little... girly," he said carefully. Perhaps it was the lavender sheets. Might even have been the light salmon throw pillows. Either way, the bed as it was screamed 'girl' at him.

"Not keeping the sheets, yo. ..just the bed." Once he'd left the vicinity of the bed he picked up a set of black sheets that had a white comforter with gold accents inside. as well as black silk pillowcases. "That's the bedding set I want."

Rude grunted and nodded, the whole shopping thing already wearing thin on him. He was an in and out kind of shopper.

Once Reno had set up a time to have the bed delivered and the sheets bought, he got the mahogany living room set that had gone the way of the dinosaurs during meteor because he knew Rude had LOVED that set. and then. ..his eyes widened. ..he saw something that had his eyes filled with so much longing it was almost painful a black laquered baby grand that sat right in the back corner of the shop. ..he gave Rude a look that said he'd put up with ANYTHING he dealt out with no complaints so long as he could have THAT.

"Aren't the holidays coming soon?" he asked nonchalantly. He knew he would give in and let Reno have the piano, and he knew that Reno know that he would give in and let Reno have the piano. However, he just had to put up the token resistence. It wasn't the same without it.

"Yeah. ..but Gods.. .you know how long I've wanted one. ..mama's looked just like that. . .it's. ..it's gorgeous. .."

The shopowner came up them "I see you have your eye on the Harmony. ..we just got her in yesterday, but we had a lady in here looking at it just after we got her and she looked REAL interested.. ..might wanna get her while she's still here."

Rude rolled his eyes. It was the oldest sales trick in the book. He hoped Reno wouldn't fall for it.  
Reno didn't give a shit about tricks. ..he just had his eyes on the instrument with a lust in them akin to the way he looked at Rude. .. .

"Am I going have to fight it for your attention?" he asked plainly, however the smile on his face made speaking plainly a little difficult, even for Rude.  
He just shook his head enthusiastically. ..but that desire did not one time leave those icey jade orbs. "nope. ..though you may have a fight on your hands gettin' me outta here without it."

With another roll of his eyes, Rude just handed the sales man his credit card.

Reno threw his arms around him with multiple thank yous as the man rang the sale and announced that everything would be delivered by 5 o'clock that afternoon.

Rude nodded, taking back his plastic. He could swear he almost saw the smoke coming from the purchase of the piano. However, the look Reno gave him made it worth it.

Reno as they stepped out of the shop to pick up his cuahl and a few pet supplies had this almost beautific expression on his face. ..no, nu-huh, they were NOT going to end up like Rude and Joshua had, no way., no how. ..he was riding high on this wave of absolute joy.  
Rude just shook his head, steering Reno as far away from the furniture store as he could before he decided he needed another big end purchase.

As they headed into the pet store he picked up another leash and harness and a bowl plus some food and a bed. .."Now. ..I'm ready."

A smile from Rude and they were off. "Are we picking up your cat or is he being delivered... minus his balls?"

"We're picking him up, and no, the boss hasn't shot his balls off yet. .." He chuckled.

"Yet," Rude repeated. "But when was the last time you talked to him?"

"Just before I talked to the guy about the condo." He laughs a bit. "That was when he caught them."

Rude chuckled, and within minutes they were back at the hotel.

Reno when they opened the door immediatly heard Rufus yelling for Livewire to "Get your ass out of that bathroom so I can castrate you."

Rude couldn't help it. He laughed loudly, from deep in his belly.

"Don't tell me, you caught 'em again"  
Rufus' face was red. "He mounts her again, and I will kill him, Reno." Rufus spun on his own cuahl. "And you, quit putting your ass in the air like a fucking bitch in heat!"

Rude coughed lightly. "I believe she is in heat, sir."

"He's comin' with me, no more problems with that, boss." he went into the bathroom with the lead and harness he'd bough and after what sounded like scuffling and a few yowls he comes out with his own black and white striped cat on the lead, he had only a few small scratches to show for it.

Rufus caught Dark Nation's eyes, and with a glare, he pointed at the adjoining room. He was furious, but he would not take it out on her. It was Reno's damn cat's fault, anyway. He watched at she looked back at Livewire once before slowly walking into the other room.

Reno petted him as Livewire gave the tiniest of whimpers, he was only doing what cats do. ..what instinct told him to do. ..he lead him out into the car and locked him into the back as he strode back in. ..the look on Rufus' face scared him just the tiniest bit, even if it wasn't him he was mad at. ... reminders of the past, maybe?

Rufus flopped into a conveniently placed chair, his hand going to cover his face. "Kittie porn is not my idea of an amusing afternoon..." he mumbled.

"I know...he's out in the car...they'll be delivering everything soon., so he's gonna be outta your hair."

"I appreciate you breaking up him and Dark Nation," Rufus said carefully, looking just through his fingers instead of taking his hand from his face. He just wanted to get the mental image of Reno's cat on top of his out of his mind, and fast.

"Well they were just doin' what nature tells 'em, but I know you'd rather not have a litter of cuahl kittens on your hands."

"Do you remember how much of a handful she was when she was a kitten?" Rufus asked, noting that Rude's face paled at the memory. "Could you imagine between four and six of them?"

Reno had to laugh. "It'd be like having me as quadruplets?"

Rude's eyes probably couldn't get any wider as he imagined THAT.

"Worse," Rufus said.

"Not much worse'n that, sir." He was more than willing to admit he was a handful all by himself.

Rude just shook his head, nodding to Rufus before he touched Reno's elbow, their usual signal for 'it's time to go'

Reno nodded, stepping out...noting how Tseng dropped his arm around Rufus' shoulder in a comforting gesture as he did.  
m The trip back to their new condo was rather uneventful, except for the part where Livewire seemed to think he was the one who was supposed to sit in the front seat, not Reno.

As soon as he walked into the foyer he found the delivery people there, he opened the elevator, holding the door for them until they had everything loaded, and holding it for Rude as well before stepping inside with Livewire.

Rude went about directing the movers, having them just put the correct pieces of furniture into the correct rooms. He and Reno could move them around as they pleased later, after getting a better feel for things.

"You scratch that piano you won't like the results" He warned the one mover who was carrying the main part minus the legs.

Rude just sat back. He'd helped plenty of people move in the past, so he was used to people being picky about their stuff.

As soon as it was all in and he had the legs on the piano and it upright he sighed. ."We're home. ."

Rude nodded. He was still standing in the bedroom door, trying to figure out how he should lay out the room.

Reno simply went to work setting up the bed in the center of the room, they could always move it later, and he wanted to make use of it. .. they always "christaned" a new bed within 2 hours of delivery if possible. ..it was just their tradition.

Rude was already taking the sheets from their packages, and once Reno had the bed set up, he went about putting the sheets on with a near military precision.

As soon as the sheets were on Reno about tackled him onto the bed, kissing him, flush from a day that for once had actually gone right as well as the breakthrough both of them had needed so badly.

To say Rude was caught off guard would be an understatement. He'd expected something slow and gentle, like before. However, that didn't stop him from kissing Reno back with just as much passion.

Reno was kissing him fiercely speaking the words "Want you, need you." into his mouth.

All Rude could do was grunt as he pulled Reno further over him until their bodies were as matched up as they could get. He wrapped his arms around the redhead, pausing in their kisses to occassionally nip at jawling and neck.

As quickly as a cuahl in heat he had them both stripped. ..his mouth still against Rude's, then he pulled Rude upright so he could stil keep up that mouth grapple, with one arm holding onto him, with the other reaching for his warming gel in the traincase next to the bed, he prepared himself, then slid his lubed fingers along Rude gently before he rose up, staying atop him for several long moments. ..just. ..hanging there.  
Rude was squirming, trying his hardest to move Reno down over him without hurting the redhead, but his lover was dodging him at every pass. Finally, after a moment of near frustration, he ground out, "Please..."

Reno obliged him, sliding home. ..he let out a hitching cry as he did, head tilting back. .."Gods. ..you feel like heaven. ."

Rude's mouth just worked silently as he grasped Reno's hips, knowing there would be bruises there, and wondering absently if his nails would leave little indentations in the redhead's skin. The thought was pushed away by a wondering if Reno would like that, but once he felt the slight twitch of Reno's muscles around him, all thoughts other than to bury himself inside his lover as quickly as possible left his mind.

OH yes, he loved being marked, but he wasn't going to let things get out of control. ..he kept up with Rude's pace easily, one hand reaching around to wrap around himself. as that special spot was brushed again and again, his jaw dropping with a soft cracking sound as it spread nealy impossibly wide. ..his breath first coming in hitching gasps and then stopping altogether as he stiffened. ..then a wail broke loose as he started breathing again with a massive release that left his muscles quivering and his limbs wobbly and jelly-like.. . .his muscles fluttering and clenching around his husband as he did.

That little flutter was something that always worked on Rude. Whether he was near or far from his climax, it didn't matter. When Reno came, Rude did.

He fell into Rude's chest with his eyes damp and his lips curved into a smile. . ."I. ..I never wanna go through the last three weeks again in my whole life. ..but I think it's really a good thing we did. ..you don't gotta hide anymore...didn't I tell you. .no matter what I found out, I was still gonna love you anyway?"

If Rude wasn't already flushed from their just ended lovemaking, he would have pinked. He was not one to admit he was wrong... unless he felt like it. And this was one of those things he preferred not to admit he was wrong about. Instead, he just nodded. A nod was significantly less incriminating than an actual verbal admission.

He held tightly for several long moments. ..happy their world was at some kind of order again. .."Never leave you. ..not ever. ..love you too much."

Rude buried his nose in Reno's hair. "Love you," he whispered, remembering that Reno mentioned he didn't say it enough. He thought that his actions said it enough, but appearantly that was another thing he was wrong about.

Reno looked up at him, then a soft smile lit his face as he ttook out a few of the music sheets that had been packed in with the piano and a pencil. ...he began jotting notes onto it, simply walking, pacing around their bedroom, tapping his mouth with the pencil and every once in a while erasing a note and writing another in its place. ..when he'd finished he stepped out to the piano he'd just purchased, setting the music on stand. .. it was a concerto. ..it started out first soft, almost tentative speaking of the beginnings, of when they'd met. ..of how afraid he had been of being rejected, of how timid he himself had been then. Then, it became quit, but the notes longer, deeper. ..speaking of his husband's quiet, restrained strength. then the two intertwined, speaking of the joining of their lives. ..before becoming stormy, loud booming notes to describe the discord their lives had become since the incident downtown. ..finally. ..a few soft, gentle tranquil chords. ..resolution. ..resealed bonds. 


	34. Chapter 34

Rude raised an eyebrow. He knew Reno was definitly gifted in the art of music, however he was unaware the hyperactive redhead was capable of composing such an intricate piece in such a short period of time.

Reno stepped off the bench. .."There. .it's. .perfect." He scrawled a title across the top "Ode de love: A partnership concerto by Renno Tarshil" and placed the sheets gently inside the bench. ..striding over whispering "It's ours...that was for us, 'cause it was the only way I could think of to tell you...how good it feels ta have things semi back ta normal. words just don't seem like enough."

Rude nodded, mentally thinking that words seemed to work just fine before, then pulled Reno close. He just wanted to cuddle... however, with the way Reno's cat hadn't stopped staring at him, cuddling wasn't nearly as forefront in his mind as it had been earlier.

"In the bathroom, boy" Livewire obediantly headed in before Reno bent his head back onto Rude's chest, just inhaling that sweet musky scent.

Rude's entire body twitched as his breath hitched. Seemed he fell asleep for a brief few minutes without even realizing it. "Sorry," he breathed into Reno's hair with a slight embarassed chuckle.  
"'Sokay, 'sbeen an exhausting. ..hell, however many weeks... just glad you an' I. .are some version of normal now."

Rude grunted contentedly, then mumbled a "Night," before letting sleep reclaim him. He was exhausted, to say the least.

Reno's eyes slipped closed as well. ..he'd been wired until he'd finished writing and now. ..now he was content to slip into sleep next to Rude's warm body.

Morning had come and Rude was up at the crack of dawn. They really needed to get some curtains, otherwise he'd have to start going to bed earlier. That sun was just too bright to sleep through. His day continued its mild downward spiral as he efficiently searched for the coffee pot he knew they bought. He just couldn't remember which damn box it had been delivered in.

Reno as he got up made a beeline for it. . . as if he'd memorized which boxes held which things, in five minutes he had it set up and the heady scent of their favorite hazelnut brew filled the small space. "There ya go."

"Knew I kept you around for a reason," Rude laughed, reaching for his cigarettes. He absently thought that he'd been smoking an awful lot since the blow up, but he shrugged it off as a better way to deal with stress than, well, breaking things... like people.  
Well, unless you counted the ones who got too close to Reno, like the silver haired prick in the bar that time. Reno found himself silently thanking the Planet that Yazoo had been sent to that special place in the Lifestream reserved for people who did bad things. Rude took his coffee and his cigarettes out onto the balcony. It was probably a little too chilly that morning to stand out there in nothing but your boxers, but to Rude, there was no such thing as too chilly. There was too damn hot, pleasant, and I think my testacles are curled up next to my tonsils. He leaned against the brick wall, looking out at the city below.

Reno was smart enough to put a sweatshirt n before ducking out next to him, lighting up his own newport and staring out "It's beautiful yo. ..really gorgeous. not as nice as Midgar, admittedly, but stiill gorgeous in its own way."

Rude grunted affirmatively. He alternated taking a sip of the coffee and taking a drag from the cigarette until both were gone. He glanced over at Reno. "What does the President have for us to do today?" he asked, more than eager to get back to work.

"Pickin' up some supplies from kalm an' takin' 'em to the site where they're workin' on our new HQ, and a monster extermination outside town. ..Kalm's been havin' em invading the town itself lately, the bastards are gettin' bold."

Rude raised an eyebrow and unconsciously cracked his knuckles.

"Besides, I owe a Marlboro a beatin', should I run into one."

Rude chuckled, then gestured for Reno to head back inside.

Reno stepped back in, shower time. ..it was going to be a fairly busy day.

After setting down the coffee cups, Rude just stood here, appreciating the view of Reno's boxer-clad behind. Finally, before Reno could make it out of his range of sight, he let out a low, appreciative whistle.

Reno blushed. He had finally begun to regain some of the weight dropped during the more trying few weeks, but he was still not in usual form yet. Stilll, he gave that taut rump a little wiggle.  
Rude followed Reno towards the bathroom, but before the redhead could enter the doorway, Rude grabbed and pulled him backwards until he was flush against him. He knew Reno would feel the hard flesh pressing against his back.

Reno smirked, leaning back to sieze Rude's lips in a firm kiss. "Oh, got somethin' ya want, big guy?"

"You," Rude replied, voice low and husky. He pressed hard against Reno, pushing him face first against the nearest wall before reaching around to grope at Reno's crotch.

Reno smiled. ..grinding back into him his own voice husky. "I want you to fuck me right through this wall, yo. .. might as well christen it with the first hole in the wall and have it be an enjoyable reason."

Rude was never one to waste time with words when actions could speak just as loud. Knowing he would hear about it later, he bypassed removing Reno's boxers the normal way in favour of just ripping the already threadbare garment from his hips. He pressed against Reno again, his arousal sliding between his legs to rub across the redhead's taint.

Reno's head tilted back. ..his ass pushing against it, taking him with no lubrication or preparation. . .hissing just a bit at the burning sting before it settles into a delightful fire. "S-shit yo. ..you fill me so fuckin' wonderfully."

Rude just grunted, waiting as patiently as he could for Reno to adjust. His hands went to cover Reno's against the wall, fingers intertwining as he pulled out slowly, then thrust in quickly.

Reno shouted as he pushed back in, not a pained noise but one of utter bliss as the pain of the inital entry pushed the pleasure quotient through the roof. Reno, a masochist? nah. ...

Rude kept that rhythm, slowly pulling out only to thrust back in almost harshly.

Reno pushed back against him, trying his damndest to pick up the pace. ..little mewling gasps coming out. He'd be sore as Hell later, but right now he didn't care, his mind awash in sensation. ..just so much of it.

Rude was having none of it. He was in control that time, not Reno. He was the one who set the pace, and he was the one who would decide when they got off. His fingers tightened slightly on Reno's against the wall as he snapped his hips forward pointedly.

Reno relented, not because he wanted to, but because he just felt so fucking good. ...his lip darting in between his teeth as his brain began shutting down with the eroctic lust fire flooding over it. hisknees began buckling but he locked them to avoid crumpling, he wanted to keep this up.

Rude groaned loudly against Reno's ear. He occassionally lifted his heels from the ground, giving his thrusts a slight change of angle. "Do you want to come?" he growled. "Just like this? Spray yourself against the wall?"

Reno's soft moan told the whole story. ..the wood against his dick even felt good, the tiny prickles against his skin. ..he nodded before his head lolled back onto Rude's shouulder, his face a brilliant red of extreme arousal.

"Do it," Rude ordered, voice harsher than he originally intended.

Reno let out a sound partway between a groan and a wail as he released against the newly painted wood.. .he'd be picking splinters out of his dick for the majority of his shower, but right now he really didn't care.

As he felt Reno's muscles clench around him, Rude thrust forward harshly, crushing Reno against the wall as he released himself within the redhead.

Reno almost toppled as Rude moved from behind him, still dizzy from the release that had left him jelly-limbed, but the smile on his face. ..Gods, it was beautiful.

Rude chuckled slightly, helping Reno into the bathroom so they could have their morning shower.

Reno stpped under the spray, beginning the process of removing the other remnants of their christening of the living room wall so they wouldn't rub against his clothes, it would NOT due to be getting hard as post while hunting monsters. .. once he was sure he was relatively free of small sharpened bits of wood he wet his hair, handing Rude back the shampoo.

Rude shampooed Reno's hair with a slight smile on his face. Yes, things were getting back to normal. He and Reno were okay relationshipwise, they had a place of their own again, and they were back to work. Could things get any better?

Though Reno was still being SLIGHTLY cautious about stirring Rude's dominant side. ...not wanting things to spiral out of control again as they had. ..he would likely BE cautious for a while.

Rude had finished up with the shampoo and the conditioner, and he was just taking in the sight of a wet, naked Reno.

Reno turned into him, tender this time...just leaning into his chest. "I love you, big man. . .I'm yours. ..you're mine. ..the way it should be. No more hidden nasties to fuck shit up. ..just. . me an' you."

Rude whispered a return endearment, however, he flushed pink as he felt himself hardening... again. It had been years since he could go at it twice in the span of less than an hour; he wasn't 15 anymore, ya know.

" 'sokay yo...it's relief. ..the stress bein' gone and knowin' we got no more ta hide from each other. ..we both know everything there is that we'd been hidin' and we came out the other side whole. ..what's not ta be relieved about? Why wouldn't we want ta stake claim on what was almost lost?"

"I hardly think this is 'staking a claim', Reno," Rude said, horribly embarassed. It was just like being 15 all over again: the unwanted erections, the ability to get another one almost instantly. Maybe Reno was right, maybe it was a side effect of the relief. He just hoped it wasn't... permanent. He had a reputation to keep, after all.

Reno bent down. ..that cheeky grin firmly affixed as he nearly swallowed the big man whole. ..this felt so nice. ..just having him like this again.

"Fuck." The explative exploded from Rude's mouth as Reno took him into his.

Reno suckled hard, that head bobbing up and down, tounge slathering all about that shaft licking inside the slit, releasing with a wet pop before creating that wonderful sucking friction again. ..moving down to scoop his balls in between his lips for a moment before encasing that hard length again.  
A wordless moan left Rude's lips as his hips made tiny little thrusts. Finally, after a few more moments, he spilled himself again into Reno, his eyes slamming closed and hands gripping the shower walls as he did.

Reno used his body to help Rude stay standing until the larger man recovered. .. his arms wrapping around him from behind.

"Thanks," Rude said quietly as he watched what little of his climax Reno missed swirled down the shower drain.

"You're welcome yo. ..anythin' you want an' need o'me. ..just ask." He kissed the flesh along his back slowly as he reached for the towels, handing Rude one, and getting one himself, scrubbing his hair and himself dry.

Rude dried himself, then went about the rest of the morning routine. "When does the President expect us?" he asked around his toothbrush.

"an hour." Reno stated after looking at the clock. "Make sure you take your lucky gun, I got a few boxes o' that hollow point ammo you like so much."

Rude grinned slightly as he slid his pistol into the ankle holster. He finished putting on his suit with little problem, other than glaring at Reno's cat when he found a few stray white hairs on it.

Livewire had actually done no more than brush against it this time, and not even intentionally. ..not like during meteor where he'd actually LAIN on them.

"Your tail sheds, too," Rude said accusingly at the innocent looking cuahl. He was putting in his earrings while he said it.

Livewire merely mewed with what Rude would swear was a lofted brow, causing Reno to burst out into giggles.

"You're not helping," Rude said with a large smile on his face. He turned back to the cuahl. "And YOU are going to end up bald if you don't knock this," he gestured to the white hairs, "off."

"As soon as the rest of his winter coat's grown in he'll be fine."

Rude just glared at the cat, pointing to his own head and mouthing the word "Bald" again for good measure. He knew the cat was as likely to listen as Reno, but he still had to make the token effort.  
Livewire just kept looking at him with that brow ridge lifted up.

With a defeated noise, Rude just mumbled, "Son of a..." as he searched for his shoes. And the score, for those paying attention, was Livewire 1, Rude 0.

Reno finally stopped giggling long enough to put his own boots on while Livewire wtrotted over with Rude's shoes gripped lightly between soft lips.. .not a trace of saliva or hair on them, he dropped them in front of the big man.

"Smart ass," was all Rude said as he took his shoes and put them on. That makes it Livewire 2, Rude 0.

"He'll grow on ya, he's a lot like his master." Reno rubbed between his ears and around the tentacle with a soft smirk. "I'm leavin' the balcony door open for ya boy, and I left some stew beef chunks and fresh water in your bowls, you should be ok until we get back." Livewire nuzzled Reno's hip with a soft purr."

Rude nodded dismissively, then led Reno out the door.

Reno chuckled one more time as they headed out the door toward the car. Again, Reno just handed over the keys, choosing not to test things.

Within minutes they were at the hotel where Tseng and the President were staying. They would check in, then head out to Kalm for the supplies, doing a few hours of extermination before they came back to oversee the construction of the new ShinRa building.

Reno checked over his weapon as they headed in, Rufus with Dark Nation's head in his lap she looked. ..almost contrite.

Rude greeted him with a "Sir," before falling into a parade rest stance.

"Gentlemen," Rufus returned, running his fingers over the soft fur along the top of Dark Nation's nose.

"He.. .didn't, did he?" The expression on the black cuahl's face made him want to chuckle.

"He did," Rufus replied. There was a barely restrained fury hidden under his skin that Rude could see clearly, and he knew Reno could see it as well.

Reno cursed. ..very softly. .."I'll find homes for them boss, I promise...and they won't be with Hojo." He knew that was a particularly sore spot for Rufus, considering that's where Dark Nation had been before Tseng had talked Jack into gifting her to the then 7 year old boy.

"See that you do," Rufus replied cooly.

Reno takes the map and list of addresses Tseng held out, he looked to be blushing almost.

"You will rendez-vous with a Mr. Evans in Kalm regarding the supplies," Rufus said, tone clipped. He was still miffed about Dark Nation's... predicament. "While he is loading the truck that will follow you back here, you will take care of their monster problem that seems to have crept up. Questions?"

"No sir." He cracked his own knuckles. . . much looking forward to giving a severe ass kicking.  
"Good," Rufus said dismissively.

Rude just nodded, unconsciously cracking his knuckles as they walked out of the room.

"So I guess keeping Livewire locked inside for a while would be a good idea." Reno said as they headed for the car.

"Probably," Rude replied, getting into the car and waiting for Reno to follow.

Reno sat in the passenger seat, having to chuckle. "man, the look on her face was positively priceless."

Rude nodded. "And the look on the President's was murderous."

"Glad I'm not my cat. ..and glad he's not here."

"Don't be surprised if a memo regarding neutering is on your desk as soon as we have desks again," Rude said with a slight chuckle.

"Eh, I had intended on it anyway."

Probably for the best," Rude offered, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. It was going to be a long ride to Kalm.

"You remember Trish Kendrick? Her father said the same about me." He snickers. Oh yes, Trish. ..the girl he'd dated right before leaping into being involved with Rufus, though Rude hadn't known that was why he broke up with the tiny brunette secretary at the time.

Rude shook his head. "I'm not surprised. How many times did you walk into my office in the morning freaking out about whether she was pregnant or not?"

"Yeah. ..she don't want me in the kid's life. ..partly 'cause I'm a Turk. ..partly because I dumped her for Rufus"  
"She kept it the last time?" Rude asked, eyes wide. He knew that the girl had gotten at least one abortion, and at least a few of them were nothing more than late periods, but he wasn't aware that the kid she took maternity leave for was actually Reno's.

"Yeah. ..I seen him once or twice.. .in fact. ..why do you think my paycheck's usually a good $200 less than yours? her child support. ..I take responsibility, even if she won't let me have contact with him."

Rude neglected to mention that he really didn't pay much attention to Reno's paychecks out of respect for the redhead. Rude paused for a moment, thinking. Finally, he asked, "Are the President and I the only ones that DON'T have kids? Or does he have one that he hasn't told anyone about either?"

"God only knows.. .doubt it though. ..he's well. ..'sfar as I know he pretty much exclusively bats for the other team."

It was something that had bothered Rude for a while, and since they were on the subject of the President's sex life... "What DID make you dump her for the President anyway?" he asked.

"She was pushin' for marriage. ..I wasn't ready then. .. " The fact of his kid though cast whole new light on why he wanted one now.

"Was he...?" Rude was having a hard time getting his thoughts into words. "Was he actively pursuing you at the time?" There. One of his biggest questions, and probably something that caused a bit of a rift between the two men.

"Yeah. ..he was..."

Rude raised his eyebrow. It was Rude speak for 'Explain.'

"Rufus had been chasin' me almost since I was recruited. ..and you know him. .he gets what he wants eventually."

Rude's hand went over to rub on Reno's thigh. "And how did he, eventually, get you?" he asked, his voice taking on just the slightest hint of lust. He had imagined how it went down several times before, but to hear it from Reno...

"He'd pinned me over his father's desk. ..and kissed me. ..then asked if I'd ever been fucked by a God. .." he chuckled. "I said 'no' and things sorta went from there. ..he ended up bending me over and fucking me right there on his desk."

Rude laughed. Only Rufus ShinRa would compare himself, honestly, to a god.

"Of course, that was the night you asked how I got the hickey and I found out Trish was INDEED pregnant. ...rough night."

"Trish wasn't one to leave marks," Rude said in agreement. That really was the only reason he'd asked.

"Of course I didn't tell you I ahd like five more you COULDN'T see on top of the one you could." he smirks.

Rude just raised an eyebrow. It was Rude speak for a nice way of calling Reno, jokingly, a slut.

"Nah, he was the ONLY one I was doing then. ..or more accuratly being done by"  
And now, the imporant question. "When did you decide he wasn't the one you wanted?"

"When he decided to get overly posessive enough to want to take me out of the field."

Another raised eyebrow. Rude speak again for 'Explain.' He was unaware of that little development.

"You remember the Nibelheim mission? The one where Sephiroth went insane and we were ordered to bring him down?" Yes. ..the one where Reno had taken his first injury in the field...one that had damn near killed him..and as it was though he had eventually recovered he'd been bed-bound for 3 months afterward from a cracked vertebrae. Then again even after all that it had been the SOLDIER and grunt who'd accompanied him that had taken him out.

Rude nodded, waiting for Reno to finish his explaination. It was all starting to make sense. Just a few more pieces to the puzzle.

"Well, I scared him shitless when you and Tseng brought me in, from what he told me later. ..he said I looked like I was barely hanging in on this side of the lifestream and had blood all over me."

"You looked like shit," Rude agreed. Even he'd been terrified for his partner's life.

"Thus, him wanting me pulled off the field. .. to which I told him no.. .he got pissed off at me, and I told him he was becoming his father. ..that was when he slugged me."

Rude frowned. So that was it. "And that's when you ended it?" he asked. He tried to calculate just when that had occured in reference to that night in Rude's bathroom.

"Yeah...our little escapade in the bathroom was 4 days after." Which was why he'd still had the stitches in the gash above his eye that Rude had asked him about, but he had refused to tell him.

"Why me?" Rude asked. There was an unspoken question of his convenience factor in his tone of voice.

"Because you were my only other friend. ..and I was in despereate need of knowing I was still a worthwhile human being then."

Rude slammed on the brakes, and a voice in the back of his head breathed thanks that they were on an empty dirt highway. His breathing was quick as he fought to control his temper. "You let me fuck you because I was..." he nearly spat out the offending word. "Convenient?"

"NO! I. ." he shook his head. "Because " he sighed. .how to explain it. "I let you because you were my friend...and I did want more. "

"Since when?" Rude's tone was harsh, but he had to know.

Reno started looking. ..almost small. "Since before Rufus even..hell since before Shinra even. .but you never gave me more than a passing glance then."

Rude tried to even out his breathing. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, finally starting to calm down a little.

"'cause like I said you barely even looked at me aside from partners then. ..hell, for all I knew you were straight."

"It wasn't my place to look," Rude said. "For all I knew, you were going to head back to the President in a day or two like you always did."

"Anyway. .when I saw the chance...I took it. ..an' have rarely regretted it."

Rude took a few deep breaths, feeling the fury leave him slowly. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, pulling the car away from the side of the road and continuing to drive towards Kalm.

"Hey, you got a right ta be mad if you think you were a convienance fuck, but you weren't. I just never had the courage ta say anything. ..especially since right after I dumped Trish you came in there with Tracy..."

"If I had been available," Rude asked, "Would you have gone for me instead of the President?"

"Yeah.. if I coulda gotten over the fear o'bein' rejected."

A tiny smile crossed Rude's face.

"You were the epitome of straight then, yo. ..I was terrified you were gonna tell me I was utterly insane ta even think such a thing."

"You are utterly insane," Rude said with that tiny smile. His straight man routine was getting rusty, it seemed.

"Mebbe I am. .I am, after all, a Turk, insanity is part o'the job description."

"What's my excuse?" Rude asked good naturedly. His previous mood had returned just as quickly as it had soured.

"you're married ta me?"

"Point," Rude replied, realizing that they were nearing the turn to head into Kalm.

As they pulled in, Reno pointed out the area where the truck was located.. ..his emr tapping now out of boredom.

Rude parked the car, getting out and nodding at the gentleman in his mid-40's who was heading their way.

Reno waved good naturedly at the gentleman, he was. ..well in a good mood with that arched eyebrow and cheery grin.

"You must be the boys the President sent," the man said, offering up his hand to both of them. "Name's George Evans."

"Reno Tarshil, and yep, we are. I understand you havd not only monster troubles, but more than one shipment hijacked as well, 'swhy he sent Turk out to keep watch over the delivery."

"Rude Urar," Rude said, shaking the man's hand. "Do you know where the monster troubles are centering on?"

George laughed. "The whole damn town, sonny. They see all the empty houses at the edge of town, think the place is deserted, then come waltzin' right in. Lot of people left town after the whole Geostigma thing, and they're just now starting to come back. Can't keep 'em here if they have to fight a marlboro to get to their backyard."

George laughed. "The whole damn town, sonny. They see all the empty houses at the edge of town, think the place is deserted, then come waltzin' right in. Lot of people left town after the whole Geostigma thing, and they're just now Reno hears the word "marlboro" and his lips curve into a somewhat sadistic grin. "We got it handled."

"Good," George said with a good ol' boy smile. "Now, you two go out there and take care of some of the nasties while I finish loadin' this truck."

Rude nodded, unconsciously cracking his knuckles before reaching into his jacket to retrieve his leather gloves.  
Reno with a flex of his wrist extended the electrified nightstick to full length. .."I'm gonna bust that bastard in between it's beady eyes then shove its tentacles up its anus."

"It's a plant, Reno," Rude said flatly as he followed Reno through the deserted streets. That straight man routine was back. "It doens't have an anus."

"Then I'll make it one." He spat. ..yes, could one tell he just SLIGHTLY hated the things?

Rude just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Reno then whirled at a slight rustle behind them. ..but no. ..this was NOT a Marlboro. ..but something even worse. . "Uh, he-hello. ..Rude. ..do you think you could be lucky enough to take a large monster down with two bullets again?" He tugged on Rude's sleeve.. .it was a fucking Galian Beast and the thing was...well, BIG was an understatement.

"Reno, that was sheer luck and..." As Rude spun around his words trailed off. His mouth hung open without words leaving it. Finally, after a moment, he asked, "Valentine?"

"No such luck yo. .unless he has a double. .." there was another one about 100 yards back. "I think. ..someone didn't tell the boss how bad the problem was. ' He looked up then as a winged figure came down at them. "THAT'S Valentine. .an' maybe. ..we should let him handle these things. .."

Viincent was in full Chaos form, letting out a screech that would do Reno in the middle of one of his best drug induced orgasms a run for his money,

"I think," Rude said, turning around, grabbing Reno's wrist and starting to run. "He can handle it!"

Reno was in FIRM agreement as they both ran like they had when Bahamut had blown up the monument. ..like their asses were on fire.

As a stray fireball flew within inches of him, Rude was fairly certain his ass was on fire. "How come..." he asked breathlessly as they ran. "No one... told us... Valentine was... here?"

"I don't think anyone knew he was, you know how he is, he's more 'keep to himself' than you are"  
Rude just shook his head, pulling Reno to duck into an abandoned building.

"Wonder what happened ta piss him off enough to have him goin' all Demon?"

Rude shrugged, looking through the dusty pane of glass to see if they had followed them.

What Rude would see would be Chaos slamming one down into the pavement, while he shot an energy beam out of his mouth that literally DEEP FRIED the other one.

"Remind me never to piss him off."

Rude nodded, reaching down quickly to pull out his service pistol. As impersonal as it was, he wanted something between him and both the Galien beasts and Chaos-form Valentine.

Finally Chaos became Vincent again as the two beasts were left respectively bleeding and smoking. "Touch MY car again, will you?" Ah yes...the beautiful sports car Cid had bought him 2 months ago brand new.. ..good explanation of what pissed him off.

Rude knew Reno would want to run out there immediately, but he also knew that Valentine wasn't exactly the most personable person. He held out his hand, just waiting for the former Turk to calm down before announcing their presense.

Vincent finally just shook his head and with one last kick to the side of the non-deepfried monster called the repair shop.

Rude looked to Reno, then nodded. Okay, now was probably the safest time to appear in front of Valentine.

"That was. ..incredibly cool. .." he scratched the back of his head.

Vincent just lofted a single brow and his deep voice rang out. "Oh, you two are here? I'm just waiting on a tow. ..I think the monsters in town now know not to touch my car."

Rude grunted and nodded. Truth be told, he was a little in awe of the former Turk. There was even just the tiniest bit of lust in his somewhat form of hero worship of the man.  
Reno gave him just the tiniest bit of a jealous glare, his body moving to shadow Rude in a way that clearly said "mine."

Rude missed both signs of jealousy as he was too focused on Valentine's face. The man was at least 30 years his senior, but that face, that jaw, those eyes. "How..." Rude coughed slightly, realizing that his thoughts were causing him to harden just slightly. "How bad is the infestation in this part of town?" he asked, certain that talking about monsters would get the monster in his pants to calm down.

"Most of them are smaller monsters, but there have been a few of the nastier ones seen from time to time. ..by the way. ..Rude is it? You may want to stop looking at me that way before Cid chooses to eviscerate you through your anus, he can be a little jealous."

Rude's face instantly blushed. "I wasn't... I mean... I..." he stuttered.

Vincent simply smirked and turned back toward where the tow-truck waited, Cid standing nex to the truck, arguing with the driver. ..then he did soemthing almost totally unlike him. ..he walked over to Cid, pinned him against the truck, and devoured his mouth.  
Reno GAPED. ..."fuck... "

Rude's eyes widened in shock. Both the shock of seeing the normally stoic man lay claim to, what Rude considered, the most vulgar man on earth, and from the way his cock jumped at the sight

Cid when he finally came up for air shot Rude a look that clearly said "don't even THINKA what's mine in those terms."

Rude mentally chastised himself, but it wasn't helping. He just couldn't get that look that he saw in Valentine's eyes right before he went over to Cid out of his head. They way those red eyes flashed... He shook his head, turning to face away from them as he cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.

Reno stood in front of him and surreptitiously gave his crotch a little brush.

"Not fair," Rude ground out, covering up the moan that threatened to escape his lips with those words.

"Ya can look. ..but just remember who THAT belongs to." Reno jealous. .? Nah. ..

"I can't NOT look," Rude admitted almost shamefully. He'd idolized Vincent Valentine ever since he joined the Turks.

"Yeah, he is a sweet piece, too bad Highwind would kill anyone for even THINKING about him that way."

"Not dead yet," Rude admitted. He was fully hard then, and certain that were he to turn around, both older men would notice, and at least Cid would comment. Probably not favourably, either.  
Cid DID notice. "Hey, put that thing back in yer pants before I slice it off. ..this is MINE, ya'unnerstand?"

Rude cleared his throat, then managed to squeak out a "My apologies, sir." before turning back around and wishing the ground would open up and swallow him. Or at least give him a few minutes to take care of his Valentine-inspired problem.

Reno snickered, dragging him back inside.

Rude let himself be dragged. Anything but standing out there with the hardness in his pants making itself totally known to the object that caused said hardness.

Reno as soon as they were out of sight unhitched his pants and literally YANKED them down. ..swallowing Rude very hungrily and suddenly.

The sound that flew from Rude's mouth would best be described as a 'Guh!' sound.

"Mine. .." he whispered while still having Rude buried in his mouth. "This is mine." His tongue finding all sorts of spots along that rock-hard shaft that would drive him insane with lust. ..then down come his own pants and he turns to face the wall, his eyes clearly saying what he wanted.  
Rude noticed absently that Reno was leaning on a windowsill, however the window was covered in dust. It didn't matter either way, as he was far too turned on by his earlier lustful hero worship and Reno's talented mouth. He slid up behind the redhead, just teasing the head of his cock along the crack of Reno's ass.

Reno pushed back against him. "Fuck me dammit. .. " he said.

Rude grunted, but kept up his teasing. He wasn't quite ready to give into Reno's demands. Not yet.

Reno's breath hitched. .."You're mine. ..mine dammit. ..and I'm yours. .."

Rude pressed just the head of his arousal into Reno, holding the redhead still so he couldn't just take him in all the way.

Reno groaned, gritting his teeth. ..this was almost too much.

Finally, after a few more agonizingly delightful moments of feeling Reno's flesh ripple around him, he pressed all the way in until he was buried to the hilt. 


	35. Chapter 35

The low moan that echoed off the walls was delightful. .."Gods, Rude. . ."

Rude grunted, just enjoying the feeling of being buried inside his lover.

Reno as he thrust back let out another hitching cry. ..he could already tell this one was going to be a doozy, and he was unlikely to be walking straight afterward. Not that it mattered to him at the moment.

After a few almost experimental thrusts, Rude pulled himself nearly all the way out of Reno's body before thrusting back inside, moving his body faster with each stroke.  
Reno with that last pounding thrust threw his head back yet further, his mouth widening and rounding into this pert "o" as his body began trembling. ..he was very close, as the flush across the bridge of his nose and cheeks would indicate. .. as well as the quiet little mewling pants.

As Rude pressed forward with a few more frantic thrusts, he was kind enough to give Reno the reach around before he climaxed. He felt himself twitch inside the redhead as he spilled within him.

Reno when he let loose did so with a soft cry that he muffled against his arm. .and as predicted. ..he was NOT walking straight afterward, something which he was sure Cid and Vincent would give him a bit of hell for.

Rude pulled out and dropped to his knees behind Reno, leaning forward to press his head against one pale cheek. He was out of breath.

Reno didn't drop, but he was very wobbly. ."Damn, yo"  
"Hm?" Rude asked, still leaning against Reno. He thought he heard the redhead say 'damn you,' but he wasn't entirely sure. His ears were ringing for some reason.

"That was. .incredible." And that was when he DID drop to his own knees, two orgasms in as many hours was rough on the system. He stayed right like that on the wood plank floor for several moments as the aftershocks rang through his nerves.

As Reno dropped, so did Rude. He fell face forward, catching himself only at the last second before his face would have connected harshly with the floorboards. Let's hear it for good reflexes.

Reno breathed deeply for several long moments before asking "You allright, aibou?" and turning around and cradling the larger man against him, his own legs still felt a little like jelly.

Rude nodded slightly, just trying to catch his breath.

"Kids these days," came a voice, a gruff, cigarette roughen voice, from the doorway to the building. "Can't keep it in their pants," Cid said with a slight chuckle.

Reno literally turned the brightest pink he ever had, from head to toe. .scrambling for his pants. ..cursing softly.  
"And some old men aren't just as bad?" another deep voice, this one smoother, finer.

At Valentine's voice, Rude flushed as red as he could possibly get. He was giving tomatos a run for their money as he frantically tried to pull his pants up while still sitting on the floor. It wasn't working as well as he originally intended.

"I'm only pushing 40 old man," Cid replied with a tiny smile. "Besides, people like me only get better with age."

"It's not like we didn't have the same idea, Cid" Vincent's lips curled up into the tiniest of smirks.

"Can't help it if I'm such a stud," Cid said, looking for all the world like the proudest S Class Gold racing Chocobo that ever raced.

Rude finally managed to get his pants on -- the right way, even -- and stand up, finally. At least his groin was pointing out anyone it liked anymore. At least for the next few minutes he hoped it wouldn't.

Reno finally made it to his feet as well, when he strode toward the door he had a tiny limp.

"Just wanted you kids to know that Vince and I got things under control here," Cid drawled. "Reeve's even sending out some of his... what the fuck are they... LMNOP troops or whatever to help us."

"Means we only gotta deal with whatever we might meet between here and the border. ..plus the damn hijackers."

"Right," Cid said, then turned to address Rude again. "Now, keep your damn eyes, and hands, to yourself."

Rude gulped and nodded. While he was fairly certain he could take the older man in a straight up fight, he wasn't sure he could take him out of respect for Valentine.

Vincent let that tiny curl of his lips again before turning to follow Cid.

Rude could hear Cid's voice chiding Valentine about 'egging on those damn kids' and 'trying to give him a heart attack'. He finally let out the breath he didn't know he was holding when he couldn't hear that voice anymore.

Reno helped Rude up then strode out the door, still listing just a bit to the right as he did.

Rude followed the redhead, stopping once they were out on the street again to say, "Sorry."

"'sokay, was worth it, yo."

"No," Rude said carefully as he walked with Reno back towards where they were loading the supply truck. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about..." he gestured with his hands.

"Oh. ..Hell, 'bout everyone idolizes Vincent, yo. ..Hell, I did too. Not ta that extent, but "shrug.

"Still..." Rude protested weakly, but left it at that.

"Don't worry about it now." And then Reno whirled again. .smirk on his face. ..this time it WAS a marlboro. ..and the look on his face when he faced it down spoke VOLUMES.

Rude raised an eyebrow at Reno, Rude speak for 'You want it, or do I get it?' He fell into a fighting stance either way. Never knew how these things could turn out.

Reno answered THAT with a roar and a lunge. ..first off landing with impeccable balance on top of what passed for a head before ending up behind it. ..the thing let out a loud screech as the nightstick jabbed it in the rear, ripping a hole back there. .. it whipped two tentacles back, one of them winding around his ankle, slamming him into the ground, leaving him stunned.

Rude raced forward, putting his entire momentum into the punch he delivered into what would be the monster's midsection.

Reno got up, shaky as all Hell, but up, he shook his head to clear the ringing from his ears and as he stepped back in he took the tentacle that had grabbed him and the other one that had come after him, shoving them into the hole he had created in the rear of the monster. "Bastard." Which was when the thing unleashed another Bad Breath.

Rude took the blast full on, stumbling backwards as his vision blacked out and he fought to keep conscious. Damn Sleep, Confuse, Dark, and whatever the hell else that nasty smelling, nausea causing breath did to him.

Reno was awakened to one of its remaining tentacles whacking him in the back of the head, almost stunning him enough to knock him cold again, but not quite. .he staggered to his feet, jamming his nightstick up the hole he had made and turning it on full power. The scent of burning vegetation soon filled the air.  
Rude was out cold. The Sleep spell had knocked him out faster than several rounds of good tequila ever could.

Reno whapped his arm gently, a good hit should knock the sleep and confuse off Rude, but he dearly hoped Rude had his item poouch with him, Reno's had been knocked off of him when the oversized tumbleweed had slammed him into the ground.

Rude was instantly awake and clear-headed, his arms going to cover his head as the effects of the Dark spell were still blocking his vision. Add to that the nausea from the Poison and he was feeling right helpless. "Reno?" he asked weakly.

"m'here. .m'item puch got knocked off, you got yours still? Or are we gonna hafta stagger back inta town an' hope tthey have a couple of the items we're gonna need ta get back in stock still?" He sincerly hoped Rude did, not that he could see to check at the moment.

Rude reached into his pocket, then frowned. "Echo screen and a potion," he said disappointedly. He knew he was forgetting something when they left that morning.

"shit. ..gonna hafta stagger back into town, then. .. hope ya can walk, because if ya can't we're seriously screwed."

Rude grunted then gagged, his stomach threatening to spill its contents along the street. He managed to stand, only slightly wobbling as he did so. "Remember which way it is?" Rude asked, flailing as he reached for Reno's hand.

"Follow the sounda the traffic. ..maybe we'll get lucky and the other two hornies'll find us."

Rude's eyes widened, even though he couldn't see. How embarassing would it be to show such carelessness in front of Valentine. "Maybe we'll find the item shop on our own," he offered with a slight laugh.

Reno DID lose his coffee and breakfast at that point, his cheeks pinkening. "sorry, yo."

"Hate Poison," Rude muttered, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. "Hate Dark."

"Hate marlboros. . .toasted the damn thing."

"Well. ..I see you two ran into one of the nastier monsters." That deep, smooth voice again with just a hint of humor in it.

Suddenly, Rude didn't feel too hot. In fact, he kind of felt like he was going to pass out. He could feel his skin getting clammy and probably very pale before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and darkness covered his consciousness.

Reno cursed before he did the same, surprised he'd held out THIS long really, he was lighter than Rude and by rights should have been the one to pass out from the poisoning first.

"Cid, get the big guy, I got Reno" Vincent BARELY managed to catch the smaller Turk before he did a faceplant from a knees locked position right into the asphalt.

"Goddamn kids," Cid grumbled, reaching down and hefting Rude over his shoulder like a sack of potatos. "What kind of fucking Turk walks in on one of them fuckers without the proper equipment." He turned to Vincent. "Don't they teach you boys common sense, or isn't that part of the ShinRa training manual"  
Vincent found Reno's pouch, holding it up "He came prepared, but everything in it is shattered. ..I doubt they expected to run into a marlboro on the way back to the truck."

"Doesn't excuse this one," Cid replied gruffly, his hand patting Rude until the older man relized he was actually patting Rude's behind.

"No, it doesn't. must've been distracted."

Reno let out a low moan. ..then proceeded to commit the sacrilage of getting sick. ..all over the front of Vincent's cape.

Cid snorted as he laughed. "That's going to stain if you don't get it washed soon, Vince."

"I know. .I'll take care of it as soon as we get back into town and get elixers into these two."

"Won't complain if you take it off now," Cid said as innocently as he could. This was Cid Highwind, after all. How innocent could he really be?

Vincent chuckled a bit. "I'm sure you wouldn 't mind, but I'd feel pretty guilty if these two ended up dying because we couldn't resist the urge to fuck long enough to get them treated."

"That was below the belt," Cid pouted. Still, he hefted Rude a little better on his shoulder and walked

"Maybe so, but very true. "They reached the inn, checked the two in, then Vincent sent Cid off to purchase two elixers while he kept watch over the two.

Cid left, cursing the entire way.

Rude groaned, shifting as he opened his eyes to still see nothing. His body reacted as it usually did upon waking, a bulge between his legs twitching slightly.

"Well, you're awake.Reno's still out, looks like he took a bigger dose of it than you did, and he's smaller. Cid's going to pick up a couple of elixers, we'll have you two up and on your feet soon."

Rude's eyes widened and his mouth opened as his hands flew to cover his groin. "Sir," he said, voice a little shakey.

"It's a common side effect after being out for any length of time, don't worry about it"  
"I know, sir, but..." Rude protested, his blood rushing to his face.

Reno gave another soft moan as his face grew a bit paler, ther OTHER effect of the poison, the one of supressing breathing and blood pressure, had begun acting on the smaller man, leading Vincent to silently hope Cid got back soon. THIS is why thigs like antidotes were so very important to carry with one whenever one went into the territory of a creature like the marlboro who was envenomed.

"Reno...?" Rude asked, turning his head far too quickly towards the noise the redhead made and supressing the sudden urge to vomit.

"He'll be allright as soon as Cid gets back and we get an elixer into him, like I said he just took a harder hit than you did and he's smaller. Him remaining on his feet as long as he did afterward didn't help, either, it sped the circulation of the venom."

"Reno..." Rude panted, then finally gave up the fight with his stomach. He rolled onto his side, leaned forward, and let the contents of his stomach escape.

Another soft moan broke the silence and those icey green eyes, dimmed by the effects of the poison, slid half-way open. "Rude. ..m'head feels like someone used it for battin' practice."

Rude had just enough strength left in him to throw his arm over his eyes, groaning as his stomach made a loud, angry noise.

"Do you have any idea what they're charging for these fucking things these days?" Cid asked, stepping into the room, bringing a cloud of smoke with him.

"Jus' take it outta m'wallet, yo. .." were Reno's last words before his eyes closed again.

Vincent sat him up, helping the barely-conscious redhead drink the status-effect negating medicine. "You'll be allright as soon as that finishes circulating."

"Yer babyin' him, Vince," Cid chided, helping Rude sit up a little straighter before tilting the bottle to the bald man's lips.

"He took a harder dose than Rude, and he's lighter, " Vincent blushed, just the tiniest bit. .did he perhaps see just the smallest amount of the Turk he had once been in the slender redhead?

"Blah, blah, blah," Cid said, tilting the bottle he held at Rude's lips so the bald man could finish the rest of the bottle. "Yer still babyin' him."

Reno settled into a more peaceful sleep as the medicine began going to work clearing his system, when he awakened the only after effect would be a slight headache, nothing he couldn't operate through.

Rude fell asleep and snored. The snoring was a sure sign that he had been ill, but as he slept, it got quieter and quieter.

"What would they do without us?" Cid asked, walking over and wrapping an arm around Vincent's shoulders.

"Die more than likely. ..and someone needs to warn the little hothead that burning marlboro tends to stink up the entire town."

"Who does that remind you of, huh?" Cid asked with a smile.

Vincent chuckled "You and those damn nicotine sticks you favor so much. at least Reno smokes menthols."

"Was thinkin' more of you and that damn demon you turn into when you get pissy," Cid said, scratching at the back of his neck.

"that was galian beast, and it damaged my car. NO ONE touches my car."

Cid waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, you love that car more than me sometimes."

Vincent chuckled again as another soft moan sounded. heralding one of them awakening.

Rude's face scrunched up as he woke. He could still feel the lingering effects of the poison in his system, and when he slit his eyes open, they were still a little blurry, but at least he could see.

"Up and at 'em, Sleeping Baldy," Cid laughed, lighting himself another cigarette.

"Your man should wake up soon as well. Don't you know if you're going into the territory of an envenomated monster to make sure to carry anitidotes?"

"Usually do, sir," Rude groaned, trying to sit up but failing miserably. He patted his jacket's inside breast pocket. "Must've forgot them this morning."

"Excuses, excuses," Cid snorted.

"Because you were too busy screwing I'd bet.." Vincent could NOT hide the smirk. He'd been young once, he knew what hormones were like.

"Bet if we left 'em alone they'd be screwing as soon as that one wakes up," Cid chuckled, pointing at Reno.

Rude just blushed, averting his eyes from how close Valentine was to him and in embarassment that the older man was probably very correct in his assessment.

"Keep it down, people are tryin' ta sleep here." came the extremely hushed, and still somewhat raspy reply.

"Hush yer yap," Cid snapped lightly. "If it weren't for us, you would still be throwing up all over Vince's clothes."

Rude eyes widened as he noticed that Valentine was, indeed, not wearing his usual cape. Which left that ass of his right at eye level and... Rude quickly shut his eyes and tried not to think about it.

"so it wasn't a dream. ..hmph. ..hope that asshole liked being fucked with its own tentacles then fried."

Cid exploded into laughter as Rude tried to think of the unsexiest things he could.

"hey, aibou. ..jack shinra nude during the winter, yo"

Cid and Rude cringed simultaneously.

"Jesus, kid," Cid said, "What would possess you to think of a sight like THAT?"

Rude was doing better, far better, until he opened his eyes and they locked onto Valentine again. Only this time, he realized after a moment, the elder man wasn't facing Reno's direction anymore -- he was facing Rude.  
"Hojo getting a blow job works wonders too." Vincent chuckled again.

This time Cid cringed harder.

Rude found it best to just keep his damn eyes closed and not say or think anything.

Reno finally opened his eyes all the way, groaning at the way the light made the lingering headache worse.

"You two gonna live?" Cid asked, finishing his cigarette and lighting another from the still lit butt of the previous one.

"Yeah, though this headache is makin' me wish not."

"Good, cause if your boy here can't keep his tongue in his mouth, might just have to cut the fucker off," Cid threatened, though the slight smile he had on his face showed that he was either jokingly teasing or jokingly serious. Rude didn't want to find out which.

Reno chuckled, sitting up, fighting back that last wave of nasuea.

"C'mon, Vince," Cid said gruffly, turning towards the door. "Let's leave 'em to do whatever it is they do when we're not around."

"Wish we could, but we gotta move, the guy with the truck's prob been waitin' for a while"  
Vincent followed Cid out, tossing one last smirk at the two Turks.

Rude could just groan in embarassment. He really, honestly and truly wanted the ground to just open up and swallow him. How could he face Valentine again? Or Cid Highwind?

Reno stood, discovering his legs were shaky, but held his weight, striding over to the item shop to replensish his stock on the off chance they ran into something else nasty.

Rude followed, a few paces behind, still slightly pink with embarassment.

After leaving the item shop he headed back over toward the truck. "Sorry we kept ya waitin', we sorta ran into a marlboro. ..thing's dead, but it did a good number on us after crushin' our item stash"

midnight12181: "That's one less of those bastards to terrorize the townfolk," George said with a smile, wiping some grease from his hands as he closed the truck's hood. "She'll run good for you now." He paused. "Either of you know how to drive this thing? I don't really have a driver to spare until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

Reno looked back to Rude, he was the better driver, and he'd rather run point anyway.

Rude nodded, catching the keys George tossed to him. "I'll send my boys out there tomorrow to pick up the truck," George said. "Treat 'er good." With that, he went back inside the warehouse, leaving the two Turks to their own devices.

Reno stepped into the sedan they'd driven into town in, heading back toward Edge, speaking over the miniture radio that sat in the glove box to Rude when warranted.

Rude drove extra carefully, knowing that some of the supplies in the back were well boxed, but still fragile.

Suddenly there was a loud report. .rifle shot. ..Reno's car fishtails. .then flips, Rude would hear a startled scream over the two way

As much as he wanted to, Rude resisted the urge to stand on the brakes. It would just end up causing the truck to fishtail itself until it jackknifed, which could possibly lead the truck crushing Reno's car. He slowed down as safely and quickly as he could, the whole time shouting Reno's name, hoping for a response.

Reno crawled out of the wreckage of the car, bleeding from a gash above his left eye that about perfectly matched the one over his right...then as the people,, supposedly the hijackers, come out of the woods where they'd been hiding his eyes flew open. ..the boy whose hand was held by one of the men was all of five ..and his head held a mop of cropped cherry-colored hair.

Finally, half a mile up the road, Rude safely stopped the truck. He jumped down from it, running as fast as he could back towards the wreckage of their former car. He'd had the presense of mind to grab his service pistol, and held it pointed upwards as he ran.

"You. ..you assholes are turning my kid into a hijacker? Where the FUCK'S his mom?" He held the emr in his right hand, his left arm shattered, useless until he could get it healed.

"Really... out of... shape..." Rude panted to himself as he ran. He could that shock of redhair by the car, and hoped that it was still attached to the rest of his lover. He was having a hard time hearing anything, since the air brakes he'd used to stop the truck were so loud.

Reno just stared at that little boy who shivered against the man who held his hand. ..one arm dangling uselessly, the other clenching his weapon hard enough to almost crush it.

"Well, well, well," the man who was holding the boy's hand shouted over the harshly blowing wind. "So this's yours?" He jerked harsly on the boy's arm. "Not a very good papa, now, are you?" He paused before continuing. "See, his momma had a debt to pay us, and well, seeing as we gave her the option of her life or his... well... You see what she chose. Pretty sad when a mother'll give up her kid for a few thousand gil."

Reno growled. ..launching himself at the man, knocking him on his ass before saying to the kid "See the big bald man down there? Run to him, go on, move!" before turning back to the man in question. ..for the second time since Rude had known him, the beginnings of his limit break began flickering around his lithe form. ..this man. ..and likely everyone else here, was about to die.

Rude slid as he came to a stop a few yards from the car. The wind had kicked up some of the dust on the road, and all he could see was a mop of red hair bobbing towards him. When it collided with him a minute later, Rude's eyes widened. "Reno?" he asked as the redheaded child wrapped his arms around Rude's waist, tears staining his cheeks. The child shook his head, then turned and pointed to where he'd run from.

Reno's hair stood on end with the crackling electricity.. .the aura strong enough to fry anything within a few feet of him, as well as light the beginning to darken sky as bright as noon. he launched into a flurry of blows the broke most of the bones of the man who'd held his son before in a berzerker rage he began to tear through the rest of them, before the aura died off and he collapsed to his knees he had multiple bodies scattered all around him. ..

"Reno!" Rude yelled. He was torn between making sure the child was safe and going to his lover. After a moment's hesitation, he knelt down in front of the child. "Stay here," he said. "I'll be right back." With that, he ran towards his lover.

"They all dead?" he asked Rude before his eyes slid closed. he had drained himself about dry, almost dry enough that he might need supportive measures until his reserves began to recoup.

Rude grunted and nodded, taking a quick look around for more men before holstering his gun. He lifted Reno, carrying him like a bride over the threshold back towards the strange redheaded child.

"Good. ..no one fucks with my kid an' lives ta tell the tale." was the last thing he said before letting the darkness have its way.

Rude gently placed Reno back on the ground, checking his vitals. He would be out like a light for at least a few hours, but he would live. He looked back at the redheaded child. "What's your name?" he asked.

"R-Rennan sir."

Rude nodded. "Let's get out of here, Rennan." With that, he picked Reno back up and walked with the boy back towards the truck.

"Is that.. my papa? mama told me papa was a Turk. ..that he was bad. ..but he saved me." rennan asked as he with difficulty climbed in.

There was a small cot in the back that Rude laid Reno on. He sat back behind the wheel, helping Rennan with his seat belt before fastening his own. "It wouldn't surprise me," Rude mumbled.  
Rennan simply nodded. "If he is. .. c'n I stay with him? I don't wanna go back ta MMama. ..she hurt me."

Rude's eyes got as wide as saucers and he almost lost control of the truck for a moment. First, there was this child that he'd just found out Reno had who wanted to suddenly become part of their lives, then there was the unfathomable idea that Trish, the mild mannered secretary with the best smile, could hurt her own child.

The boy shook his head. "I don' blame you if you don't wanna. ..mama said I was bad too. ..jus' like papa."

"Why..." Rude cleared his throat, hand going to adjust his tie as he did. "Why don't you wait until your papa wakes up and then we'll talk about it?"

Rennan nodded again, falling silent and finding a stuiffed puppy besided the small cot he lifted it up, playing with it and cuddling it quietly while they drove.

To say Rude was in shock would be an understatement. He just concentrated on driving, otherwise, his thoughts might just get away from him.

They reached the condo back in Edge, and when the door was opened to admit the three Livewire immediatly trotted over, first whimpering at his unconscious master, then giving the little boy an enthustiatic lick.  
Rennan giggled, petting the oversized cat. "He's cute."

Rude set Reno on the bed, then took out the spare potion he kept handy. He tilted the botle to Reno's lips, encouraged when the redhead swallowed the liquid. When the bottle was finished, he tossed it into the garbage can and went back out to the living room where Reno's cat was keeping Reno's kid occupied. "His name's Livewire," Rude said with a tiny smile. "He likes to shed on things."

Reno moaned quietly, his eyes opening he whispered "Did anyone get the numbera that truck?  
"N7S 1P6," Rude called back. It was the license plate number of the truck he had driven.

"Figures yo. ..where's the kid? Is he ok?"

"He's conspiring with your cat," Rude said with that same tiny smile.  
"I. .. I want him to stay. ..if it's allright, yo. .at least for the time being. ..his mom SOLD him to those bastards."

Rude walked back into the bedroom and stood next to Reno. "Where are we going to put him?" he asked quietly.

"sofa bed for now. ..until we can make other arrangements. ..I don't wanna lose contact with my kid again. ..it was wrong the first time. ..and to put him in the hands of someone who'd sell him. .even the old man wouldn'ta done that."

"Trish wasn't like that," Rude protested slightly. However, how much did he really know about the girl Reno dated?

"It's obvious she was, I found him in among the hijackers." His eyes begged. .pleaded.

Rude sighed. Then he sighed again. "Fine." What could he say? No? He wasn't that heartless. 


	36. Chapter 36

"Thank you. ." the words were whispered before he tried to get up. ..his knees buckling. "Guess I shouldn'ta tried yet. . " He smiled slightly at Rude and then said "I'll hafta get him enrolled in school."

"School?" Rude asked. Great. Just great. He could see how things would go now... Rennan would come home with homework, Reno would try to help, then send the boy over to Rude. There was a reason, other than being too damn old in his opinion, Rude wasn't in school anymore.

Reno shrugged. "Only thing I'll really have trouble with would be the higher math, 'cause I never learned 'em."

Rude just shook his head, speaking too quietly for the child to hear him. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea..."

"We'll be ok. ..and he's better off here than he would be with his mother." he snorts quietly "Besides, he's my responsibility. ..isn't that what you've been trying to drill inta me since we became partners? Taking responsibility for my own actions?"

He was not going to resort to whining. That was a Reno tactic. "We're Turks, Reno. Who will take care of him when we're out on missions? What are we going to tell him when he finds out that his daddy tortures and kills people for a living? What happens when one of the bad guys finds out we have a kid? The boy's going to be their prime target. He's helpless, defenseless. And I highly doubt we are the best role models for a -- what? -- five year old kid?"

"As for defending him, you think Livewire's gonna let anyone he doesn't know NEAR Rennan? fuck no, no more than he'd let anyone he didn't know near me if I was not in any shape to defend myself. ..as for while on missions. .. that's what child care is for, right? Takin' carea the kid when we can't? 'swhat 'Lena's gonna do, you sure as FUCK no she's not gonna quit just from bein' pregnant. ..as for role models. ..well, he could do a lot worse. ..like being taught that his life is only worth a few thousand gil."

"And what happens if someone gets through the damn cat?" Rude asked, his whisper getting harsher. "What then? And child care? Where the hell are you going to find someone you can trust, explicity, in this town? In any town? You saw what a fucking mother would do for the right amount of gil. Anyone can be bought, Reno. It's just a question of price. Are you going to risk that? With what we do, people are always looking for ways to stick it to ShinRa for what they did. People are bitter, hold grudges."

Reno simply looked away, he knew Rude was right. .."I lost him once. ..in my shoes. ..would you want to lose him again?"

The frustration of not having a clear cut answer in front of him exploded from Rude as a furious cry. Instead of putting a hole in their new condo's walls, he instead stalked towards the balcony, closing the sliding glass door behind him as he lit a cigarette, hands shaking slightly.

Reno just closed his eyes, shaking. ..then picked up his phone. .Elena. ..she'd know what to do. ..she always did. "Please. .please answer."

"Hi!" Came Elena's cheerful voice over the line. "Sorry I can't take your call right now. I'm probably having a conversation with the porcelin god right now, what with expecting and all. Leave a message, and as soon as I'm done tossing my cookies, I'll call you back!"

"Lena. ..I need ta talk to you. ..please. ..it's. ..it's really important, an' I have no idea what to do." He slowly explained what had just happened, his voice shaky. "If it were you. ..please tell me I'm not crazy for not wantin' ta let go. .."

Rude had finished his first cigarette and was starting on another, refusing to turn and look back inside the apartment.

"You said. ..you were ready once. ..an' now. ..now that it's happened you're havin' second thoughts. . I guess. ..it don't really matter at all, does it? You'll never be ready. . .guess. ..it's time I accepted that . ..no matter how much time. ..stil gonna be the same." And there it was. ..the sound of a heart breaking. ..he knew it would probably happen. ..didn't make it any easier, though.

Having finally calmed down as much as he thought he could at the moment, he flicked his cigarette butt off the balcony and went back inside. He glanced over at the boy, who had laid down with Reno's cat for a nap. It was cute, he couldn't deny that. But it wasn't in the boy's best interest to be subjected to the kind of life he would be if they kept him. He went back into the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. "He and your cat are sleeping. Keep your voice down."

Reno wasn't listening at this point. ..he was too hurt to say anything at all at the moment. "You said.. .one day you'd be ready. ..guess. ..I shoulda known. .. when it came you wouldn't be."

Rude closed his eyes. He had said that, and he thought that he was. But when it came down to it actually happening, it scared the living bejeezus out of him to think he'd be somewhat responsible for how a child turned out. He didn't want to mess up a kid... thought it was the worst thing a parent could do. Reno had a rather not-normal upbringing, and he was a hellion. Rude had a rather normal upbringing, and for a time, he was a hellion, too. It was... Rude just couldn't think straight.

"You know. ..I'd never hurt him. ..hurtin' him is the last thing I want. ..but just this once. ..I wanna be a little selfish. ..ta have somethin' I want. ..I gave my life to Shinra.. .but what the Hell did I ever have that was for me? Aside from you, anyway, what have I had that was mine, that was something wholesome n' good that I did for myself? This is the first time. ..I'm not gonna mess it up. ..but I sure as shootin' don't wanna GIVE it up either. Selfish? Maybe. .but don't I have that right, just once in my life?"

Rude slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor, his hands going to grasp at his head. He just stared at the floor between his feet, arms resting on his knees as he just focused on breathing.  
Reno just fell silent. ..one could almost hear the cracking of that heart breaking, mending, then breaking again. ..over and over as he contemplated losing this one chance. ..he knew Rude would never consent to it now. ..this was his last chance to have the one thing he had truly wanted out of this life. ..one of his own blood to form in the ways he never had been. .to give him the love he'd never had.  
Rude spoke, the words almost too quiet to hear. "I don't know what to do." The admission itself was enough to cause a single tear to blaze a trail down his cheek.

"I only know one thing. ..it hurt being kept away from Rennan an' missin' out on his first steps. .first words. ..first mostly EVERYTHING because Trish was too pissed off at me to give me a chance to even be a father.. . I don't wanna lose him again. . .but I don't wanna hurt you, or lose you either...I want this chance. ...I gave Em up because you said you weren't ready. ..please. ..please don't make me give Rennan up too. .."

Rude head slid to rest between his knees, his arms crossing behind his head as he forced his breathing to go from gasps to deep breaths. He wasn't crying, that tear was all he had in him, but he could feel that hysterical helplessness that he feared more than most anything. That uncertain feeling that ate at the corners of his consciousness, that constantly questioned every action he took.

"You know. .maybe once. .you need ta stop questioning everything you do and just ACT."

"I will not be responsible for fucking some kid up in the head," Rude said, words coming out between forced deep breaths.

"Who said you would? We both know what NOT ta do, right? We both learned what not to do. ..you just do the opposite o' what not to do. .. as for the reason for you bein' scared. ..Eric was already fucked in the head, he didn't NEED any help from you, in my honest opinion."

Rude shook his head slightly, then went back to focusing on his breathing. He was not going to break down. It wouldn't do him any good.

He was pushing it, he knew he was. ..so he just backed down. ..plopping down on his bottom and trying not to break down himself. ..he wanted this, so badly he could taste it, even worse than with Em because this was his own. .."fine. ..whatever you think best. ." but the resentment. ..the loss. ..was clear in his tone.

"I think..." Rude said, lifting his head slightly. "I think I need to go out for a few."

Reno simply nodded. ..trying his damndest to call Elena again as Rude left. ..tears were tracking down his own face. ..he wanted this. .. but at what cost?

Rude walked quietly out the door, carrying a duffle bag full of his gym clothes. What better way to blow off some steam and lose that pudge he'd put on than a trip to the gym?

"Hello?" Elena's voice said, her tone weary. She sounded like she'd just gotten done expelling the contents of her stomach and would try to do so again rather soon.

"Lena. ..m'sorry for buggin' ya, yo." His voice cracked as he spoke. .."We just had a real big blowup over the kid we brought home last night. ..an.." she would be able to tell how upset he was, how his voice cracked, his throat full of tears as yet unshed.  
"Kid? What?" she asked. Since when did Reno and Rude have a kid?

Reno explained the whole thing, having to stop ever once in a while. .simply due to his voice choking off. .."finishing with a quiet "He doubts himself so much he's afraid he's gonna mess it up. ..you know how he always second-guesses every single thing he does."

"You have to admit it's something he never really thought about," Elena said softly. "And he only second-guesses himself because he wants to do the right thing. You can't fault him for that."

"No...just. ..ya know how bad I want this.. .if he made me send Rennan away too. .. " he choked up again. ..this was his own blood.

Elena really didn't want to say what she said next, but she felt she had to... just in case. "Maybe... Maybe you two are finding out that you're a little too different..." She cringed, then choked back the nauseous feeling that cringe had caused. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I think you two are perfect for each other, but maybe... maybe on a deeper level... you... aren't"  
"Don't say that. ..Gods, don't say that after the last three weeks of Hell, 'Lena. .I almost lost everything. .you don't know how close I was to cuttin' my arms up again by the enda that shit. .."

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, it's just..." Elena sighed. "I know you want to make this work. And I know HE wants to make it work. But... you have to realize that sometimes... things don't work. I mean, I want this to work, too, but..." She sighed again, heavily. "Maybe you two need to take a little time off, get your heads straightened out."

Reno sighed, nodding, tears tracking down even harder as she could hear the sounds of his heartbreak over the line. "I thought. .. I thought we had this fixed, 'Lena. ..I really did. .. c'n. ..c'n I stay with you for a while if it comes ta that? I really can't stay with the boss again, it'd cause more problems than it'd solve."

"Don't give it a second thought. I've got more than enough space in this new place," she said softly. After a moment, she added, "Maybe... Maybe a little heartbreak is what you two need. Sometimes you need a jolt to realize just what you have, ya know?" There it was, she could feel it at the bottom of her esophogas. "And now, if you'll excuse me, the piece of toast I had earlier wants to come back up to say 'hi.'" With that, she clicked the phone off.  
With that he waited for Rude to come back. ..trying to stop the outrush of emotion, but he couldn't. ..it just hurt too damn much. ..he even looked the ornamental dagger that had been a wedding gift from Tseng up and down very longingly. ..but he resisted the urge, even with how strong it was. If he did that. ..he'd prove even more to Rude how NOT ready he was to handle the responsibility of a child. ..instead he walked out, making ham and cheese sandwiches for Rennan and him, and feeding that damndable cat.  
It was an hour and a half before Rude returned, skin flushed and still a little damp from the gym's showers. His muscles felt a little sore, but it was a good pain. He closed the door behind him, smiling slightly at Reno. "Hey."

Reno turned, nodded, Rude would still be able to see the shadows under his eyes from the tears. "Rennan's in there playing Gran Tourismo. ..he's pretty good. ..made ya a sandwich."

"Thanks," Rude said, leaning against the counter as he ate the sandwich. His duffle bag had been dropped just inside the door. He'd pick it up later. He got halfway through the sandwich before he said, "Elena called me."

"What'd she say. . .I. .I called her 'cause I didn't know what else ta do. .."

"She mentioned that you'd called," he said, his tone not indicating whether he was pleased or not with that fact.

"Oh.." He again kept his voice neutral. .he felt so out of balance.

Rude finished his sandwich. "Told me she thought it would be best if we spent a week or two apart." He paused, putting the plate the sandwich was sitting on in the sink. "What do you think?"

"Don't know. ..maybe. .I'll take Rennan with me. ..I know you'd probably not be too happy with me leavin' him here."

Rude sighed. "Whatever you think is best."

"That's the thing. ..I don't wanna go. . .but at the same time. ..we need ta come ta some sorta agreement."

"Maybe," and Rude was loathe to admit it, but he did it anyway. "Maybe we should spend some time apart. We never really did do the dating thing... I mean, isn't that something you talk about when you're dating someone seriously? Maybe... maybe we need to do some kind of a starting all over thing."

Reno nodded, but the pain could be seen clearly. ..he loved this man so much it hurt. ..and as he began to pack up he and Rennan's things as well as Livewire's supplies he started having to slap his hands across his face all over again. ..when he finally had everything packed he stood on tiptoe. ..pressing his lips to Rude, the taste of his own tears on that questing tongue.

Rude returned the hesitant kiss. "I could have left, you know..." he said quietly. In fact, he was almost certain he would've been the one to leave.  
Reno nodded again. .. .his throat choked closed as he wrapped his arms tight around him. ..Rude would feel him shaking. ..feel the pain that echoed off his nerves. .."I love you. .." and with that he turned and was gone. ..taking the sedan, leaving the sports car and bike there for Rude to use.

Rude sighed, a return endearment whispered into the air, unheard by the already gone redhead. He turned to look at the room, realizing just how large it seemed without Reno.

Reno as he knocked on Elena's door had red eyes, Rennan's hand clutched tight in his, the black and white cuahl wrapping around his legs.

"Oh," Elena said when she saw the sad trio. She knelt down, pressing away the nausea that tinged her senses at moving too fast. "Hey, honey," she said to the little redhead. "My name's Elena. What's yours?"

"Rennan" Those green eyes were just like Reno's.. .that lovely shade of wintergreen.

"Such a cute name for such a cute kid," she said with a smile, ruffling Rennan's hair as she stood back up. "Come on in, guys."

Reno nodded, trailing in with his suitcase. ..his face was drawn, pale.. that smile forced. He was doing his damndest to be strong for his kid..

Rennan took Elena aside "Papa's really sad."

"I know, sweetie, I know," Elena said softly. "Sometimes adults do things that make them sad, so that in a little time, things will be happier."

Rennan nodded, then pinned Elena with those bright green eyes, he began to get changed, and the bruises up and down his back were visible. Reno hadn't seen then yet, because Rennan had yet to change in front of him. those bruises could be made by only one thing, a human hand. "I fell down" he said softly in an effort to explain.

Elena just raised her eyebrow, then went into the kitchen to see if she had any cookies or other little treats for the boy.

Reno was drinking a cup of coffee, sitting at the kitchen table, too exhausted emotionally to do much more than leave the boy to his own devices for a few moments.

"Having a kid harder than you thought?" she asked, sitting down with a piece of toast. She was going to keep something down that day if it killed her.

"'snot the kid. ..it's this whole messed up thing with Rude. ..it's like. ..no sooner do we have things set, something rocks the boat again. ..I hate fighting with him."

"He hates fighting with you, too," Elena said quietly. "I think... maybe this will be a good thing for you two. I mean, it's not like he's going out and sleeping with someone else, right?" She smiled slightly around her bite of toast.

"I know. ..doesn't help that we have different dreams.. .I love Rennan ta death. ..his mom SOLD him to those folks, I can't let him go back to her."

Elena leaned forward, a slight frown on her face. "Can I ask you a question and get you to answer honestly, Reno? And I mean honestly, not whatever you think I should hear, or what you want yourself to hear"  
"Sure."

"Did you ever see him for any period of time before today?" she asked.  
"No. ..his mom made sure of that. 'snot like I didn't wanna.. .and a custody battle woulda been messier than I wanted things ta be then."

"Was there a reason you didn't tell Rude about him before?" she asked.

"I never thought I'd see him again. ..an' until I saw him I wasn't even sure he WAS mine." Reno gestures with his hands a moment. "I only SAW him two other times before yesterday, and then only in passing. ..once was outside a toystore in Midgar prior to meteor. ..he was probably about 2 1/2, maybe 3. .. .The second was last year.. . in the crowd during the protest. I started trying to get into contact with him after I saw him that first time."

Elena sighed. "You didn't answer my question, Reno." She smiled slightly. "Why didn't you tell Rude, even if you weren't sure Rennan was yours?"

"I guess. ..I was a little afraid if he knew. ..he wouldn't want me."

Elena just shook her head. "Not want you? Do you have any idea how badly he wants to make this work? If he didn't want you, why would he be trying so hard to do the right thing?"

"Back then. ..when I first found out. . .was during those few months we were on the straits before the plate drop, 'Lena. Then, every other time I tried to bring it up. . .it was like 'not yet, maybe someday.' an' I'd be too scared to tell him I had one out there already. .. ."

Another head shake. "I'm sure he'll work it out," she said carefully. "However, in hindsight, he probably would've preferred a little head's up before a cute little redhead got dropped in his lap."

"had no intentiona Rennan livin' with us until I found out Trish sold him."

"He still should have at least known about his existence." Elena wasn't budging. And she was keeping her toast down. Things were looking up.  
"You're right o'course. ..I just didn't know how ta tell him. Does Sam know about. ..yet?" gestured to her belly.

She nodded. "I think my ear's still sore from him dropping the phone," she giggled.

Reno chuckled. "Rude's gonna likely make damn sure he makes an honest womana you."

"Just like Rude made an honest man of you?" she laughed.

"Yeah. .." and his eyes grow a little sad again. "Things went ta Hell in a handbasket. ..shoulda seen the signs during meteor. ..but I ignored it. ... thinkin' it was 'Just one time'."

Elena's eyebrow shot up so fast it's a small miracle it didn't leave her face completely. "Signs? What signs? If he hit you, pregnant or not, I'm going to castrate him."

"Tseng. . .didn't tell you about what happened? But I mean. ..I shoulda seen the signs o'how rocky and how hard it was gonna be then. .. we both have so damn much baggage. ..an' no, he hasn't hit me. I feel a little priviledged in that department."

"I've nearly been persona non grata since this," she gestured at her abdomen. "I think they just don't want to stress me out. Doctor claimed I could be one of those 'delicate' ones." She snorted. "Me? Delicate?"

"Well. ..at Sam's. ..we had a huge blow up over Eric.. .then the thing at the club. ..he beat this kid senseless. ..an' I found out he'd had a record for beating someone else he'd been with. .."

Elena's face just got more and more shocked as Reno spoke. "What did that kid do...?" She asked, then, "Rude? He doesn't seem the domestic violence type..."

"He used ta run around on him. ..alot. As for the kid at the club. ..he kissed me. ..without askin'."

"Were you flirting with him, Reno?" she asked. She knew that sometimes Reno could get a little carried away.

"I wouldn't called it flirting. ..I was dancin' with him. ..an' you know how I am about bein' touched, I don't want someone touchin' me without askin'. We were both all tweaked out on mako-laced cognac shooters, though. . .when he has that stuff in him. ..he doesn't think. As I discovered."

"Oh, Reno," Elena said, shaking her head. "I thought he told you he gets mean on that stuff. It's like me and tequila."

"It was HIS idea. ..at any rate. . .At any rate. ..I've already dumped by box. ..if I'm gonna have a kid around I don't want him around that shit. . ..kinda leads me ta wonder though. ..how mucha it is bein' afraida messin' up the kid. ..an how mucha it is fear of the lifestyle changes. ..like controlling the alcohol use. ..and discarding the drug use altogether?"

"Are you asking about you or him?" she asked, getting up to get a bottle of water from the fridge. The toast seemed to be fine, so she braved some water on top of it.

"Him, yo. ..I'm NOT afraida makin' the changes I needta"  
Elena thought for a moment. Perhaps Reno was right, or maybe it was a little of both for both of them. "Rude usually smoked in the house, right?" she asked, then amended, "Has he since Rennan started living with you?"

"Not that I've noticed, but I was sorta unconscious for a good portion o'it."

Elena sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Reno. I wish I did, but even Elena the Great doesn't have all the answers... especially on an empty stomach." She smiled weakly

"I know. .I'm gonna call. ..see if he wants ta meet somewhere for lunch. ..can ya watch Rennan?"

Elena nodded. "Don't have much for a kid to play with around here yet," she said carefully. "But I'm sure I can keep him occupied."

"My ps2 an' my games are in the box, he likes Gran Tourismo." Meanwhile, he picked up his phone. ..dialing nervously.

There was that eyebrow again. "Are you sure he should be vegging out at his age? What ever happened to going outside to play?" she asked with a slight smile.  
m "We found out he likes Gran Tourismo while Rude n' I were fightin'. ..I didn't wanna go out."

Elena shook her head, then went back into the living room with Rennan and Livewire.

Rude picked up his phone with a breathless, "Hello?"

"You wanna. ..meet somewhere for lunch..I know. ..we need ta get things straightened out.. .an'. ..maybe this is the best way ta do it. ..on neutral ground."

"Where?" Rude grunted, then exhaled. "And what time?" Another grunt, another exhale.

"Green pagoda. ..in. ..about 45 minutes? I gotta get myself put together."

"Make it an hour so I can get a shower in," Rude said, and he was certain Reno could hear the clanking and the voices around him as he moved around to the other side of the building.  
M "Allright. ...an' Rude. ..for what it's worth. ..m'sorry." and his voice got raspy again. ..he hated feeling this.

Rude shook his head, then realized Reno couldn't see him. "Don't worry about it. See you in an hour. Love you." With that, he hung up.

Reno got into the best pair of pants outside of his uniform, one of his dress shirts, and the jacket that went with the pants. ."Laney, give me a hand with this tie, woulda please"  
"Let me guess, Rude usually does this?" she asked, taking the tie from him. She wrapped it around her own neck, tying it, loosening it, then handing it back to Reno. "There. It's the only way I know how to tie 'em."

"I almost never wear one."

It was Reno's turn to wait now. ..he sat at the table, jittery, tapping his fingers nervously on the table top whild drinking cup after cup of the rich wutain herbal tea.

Rude hurriedly walked in the doorway, wearing a pair of brand new, wide legged white linen pants and a charcoal grey dress shirt. He had his white single-breasted jacket slung over his shoulder as he walked in.

"Hey. .." He looked up, gulping. "Ya look good."

"Thanks," Rude said, a little out of breath. "You too."

Reno got up, pulled out the chair for him. ..he already had a bottle of wine ordered and sitting on ice in the center of the table.

Rude raised an eyebrow, Rudespeak for 'You don't have to do that.' "Did you order already?" he asked.

"Yeah. .got two plates of'the drunken noodles comin'. ..I asked for the booth furthest away from mosta the traffic."

Rude smiled, taking his sunglasses off and putting them into his jacket pocket.

"Ya know, I'm sorry I didn't tell ya about. ..ya know. .I shoulda. .."

"I can understand why you didn't," Rude said, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. "It would have been nice if you had, but I understand."

"I know. .parta is it you're afraida changin' your whole lifestyle. ..I pitched my box. "  
If Rude had a hairline, his eyebrow would've shot into it.

"When I thoughta about. . .that Rennan might be stayin'. .. I thought about how bad it would be for him ta be around that. ..so I pitched it.

A tiny voice in the back of Rude's brain muttered something about the waste of however much money he could've made off what Reno had in there. He shook his head slightly to clear it before saying, "Probably for the

Reno shifts nervously. ."An'. ..I know. ..you're afraid.. .an' I understand, with what happened with Eric an' all. .."

"I've never been around children when I wasn't one myself," Rude said carefully. He wasn't sure he could trust his temper not to flare around a helpless child.

"I think. ..you'd be less likely ta flare around a kid. ..'slotta what yer afraid of. .."

"This... is good," he said carefully, slowly, gesturing between them. "I think maybe... maybe we can work this out..."

"Funny thing is. .I think we'd be good for him."

Rennan meanwhile hissed as he shifted an arm to throw a frisbee in the yard for Livewire. ..Reno had taught him to fetch, of all the crazy things.

Elena leaned against the open sliding glass door, noticing that the weather was getting steadily colder, and was nearing the point of almost too cold to keep the door open.

Rennan came inside, another hiss as he went to take his jacket off. "Elena. ..do you think Papa's boyfriend will make me go back to Mama?"

So, the child was smarter than she thought. Then again, weren't all children? "Your Papa's boyfriend just wasn't quite ready for kids just yet. Give him a little time, and he'll see just how cute you are." She closed the sliding glass door. "But honey, when did you hurt yourself?" she asked, wondering why the boy kept hissing when he did things with his arms.

"three days ago..." He looked away. ..Elena would be able to tell he wasn't being completely honest and with the question about going back to his mother and the way his breath hitched when he asked. ..

"Rennan," she said, kneeling down in front of the boy. Her voice had dropped into that motherly one that told you how if you didn't tell the truth, the whole truth, you weren't going to like the consequences. "Tell me what happened."

"I told Mama I wanted to go live with Papa. .." and his eyes filled as he shrugged off the jacket and lifted the shirt. .the left shoulder was swollen and appeared to be slightly out of joint.

"Oh, sweetie!" She said, wrapping her arms around the boy gently. "Did your Mama do this to you, or did she have someone else do it?"

"Mama did.. .then the man she made me go with made it worse. .."

"Your Mama... did this?" She gingerly touched the swollen shoulder.

Rennan hissed, and then nodded. "She yanked my arm really hard."

"Why did she do that?" Elena asked, finishing up her examination of the injury. She would have to pull it back into place herself, then take the boy to the doctor to make sure anything else wasn't out of place.

"She doesn't like Papa. ..she didn't want me to go."

Elena was confused, but that would have to wait. "I need to fix this before it swells up more, okay, sweetie? It's going to hurt for a minute, but I promise we'll go see the doctor right after I'm done, okay?" She hoped the boy trusted her; she didn't want to have to let the doctor do it and possibly scare the child even more.

Rennan nodded. "Momma was mad at papa. . ..she told me he was bad. ..said he killed a lotta people and didn't care."

"Honey, he cares. Your Papa cares more than anyone else I know," Elena said. She held Rennan's wrist gently. "Now, I'm going to fix that shoulder of yours, so when I say 'three', hold your breath, okay? It'll be at least a little better soon." At the boy's nod, she changed her grip, one hand going to hold his upper arm while the other braced against his torso. "One... two... Three." At three, she pulled forcefully, pulling the joint further out of socket before it slid back home where it would normally rest.

Rennan whimpered slightly when it popped back into place. "Papa says he wants me to stay...I hope I can."

"I'm sure your Papa will take care of you," Elena said, gingerly poking around the shoulder to make sure it went fully back into place. Luckily, it had. "Now, let's get you ready for a trip, okay? We're going to have a doctor take a look at you and make you feel better."

"Yes'm miss Elena. "  
Elena opened her phone, dialing the nearest doctor's office she knew of. She held the phone between her ear and shoulder as she helped Rennan back into his jacket. By the time she'd gotten the boy ready to go, she had an appointment in 30 minutes with the pediatrician.

Rennan watched her. "Please. ..don't tell Papa. ..he'll get all mad and maybe hurt Mama. .."

"I'll make sure he doesn't hurt her, okay?" Elena said softly. "Now, let's get going." She opened the door, grabbing her purse and car keys as she did so.

Rennan nodded following her. She would have to call to have Reno's permission for the doctor to treat him. ..but he wouldn't realize that, being a child.

Elena was fully aware of that fact as well, and dialed Reno next on her phone. As it rang, she helped buckle Rennan into the middle back seat of her car.

"Yo, what's up, Laney?"

"You're going to be getting a call from a doctor soon about Rennan. DON'T FREAK OUT. I just saw a few bruises on him and want to make sure he's okay," Elena said as she pulled onto the road.

"You saw...bruises...on my kid?" His voice was immediatly lowered, dropping into the hiss of contained fury.  
"Reno Tarshill, you do anything to that woman and I will have no problems castrating you. She is the mother of your child, and you WILL respect her," Elena's voice again dropped into that motherly tone.

"She beat my kid, Laney. ..she fuckin' beat my kid! an' you expect me ta sit by an' do nothin'? "

"I expect you to act like the adult, not the child," she said, her own voice getting lower. "Now, your son is sitting here in the car with me, scared out of his mind that you're going to do something to his mother."

The look he gave Rude was one of slight desperation, one that also said "We need to present a united front here." before he spoke into the phone again. "Laney. ..I'm filin' for full custody in the morning. ..I want you ta help me get all m'ducks in a row"  
m "You do this right, or you don't do it at all," Elena said carefully. "Do you understand me, Reno? If you're not serious..." The threat lay hanging in the air.

"I'm not gonna hurt her. ..but I'm sure as Hell not lettin' the authorities send him back ta her."

"We're here," Elena said. "Expect the doctor's call soon." With that, she hung up. She wanted to see the extent of the boy's injuries before she made any further judgements. There was always two sides to every story, after all.

Reno as he hung up took a deep breath. "Ya understand why I'm doin' this, right?"

"I do," Rude said carefully. "I just... I need to get used to it."

"Good..I can't let him go back ta someone who hits him. .." He was shaking with rage. ..as well as fear for his son.

Rude sighed, then smiled slightly at the waiter as their food was delivered.

Reno picked at his noodles, shortly after the food got there his phone rang.

"Mr. Reno Tarshill?" came a voice over the phone. "My name's Dr. O'Neill. I have a woman here with your son, Rennan. I need your permission before we take a look at him."

"Of course, sir. .."

"Thank you, Mr. Tarshill. We'll call you with the results before they leave." With that, the Doctor had hung up.

Reno was shivering a bit, just thinking about how someone could HIT their own kid. "'sgonna change things. ." he said quietly. "But. ...I think we can do this."

"At least he's not still in diapers," Rude offered. Hey, he was trying to come to grips with his sudden 'fatherhood'. Give him a break.

Reno chuckled, when as they were ordering dessert the phone rang again. "m'here."

"Mr. Tarshill?" Dr. O'Neill said over the line. "I have the results of the exam we did on your son."

"Yes sir?"

"He has multiple bruises on his arms and legs, a slight bruising on his right thigh bone, and his left shoulder has been dislocated more times that I can tell. You, sir, have an abused child on your hands and, as a doctor, I'm obligated to report it to the authorities."

"Yes, sir. .could you send a paper copy with Ms Marshall, please? I'm filing for custody in the morning."

"I understand, sir," the doctor said, then just as abruptly as before, hung up the phone. 


	37. Chapter 37

As he got off the phone, Reno peered over at Rude. ..his jaw was set as he ticked off the list of Rennan's injuries. .."You still want me to stay with Laney, or you want us ta come home so we can face this together? Up ta you."

Rude closed his eyes, pressing his hands together as he thought. On one hand, he and Reno still hadn't gotten things completely worked out. However, this was important to the redhead, and Rude had made a promise to himself to stand by the man in everything he did. But, back to the other hand, did he want to jeapordize their rebudding relationship with an inevitably drawn out custody battle?

"If ya don't. .. I understand, but personally I think presenting a united front is best. ..despite everything, the bitch is gonna pull out every stop she has. If she finds your arrest, we might be fucked." Which of course was Reno-speak for "We need to inform Rufus that he needs to make sure that's buried deep."

"Which one?" Rude muttered ruefully. As he thought, he found the napkin crossing his lap to be rather facsinating and delightfully distracting from his racing thoughts.

"The one for Josh, and the one for the kid at the club."

"The petty thefts and drug ones are juvenille, which probably won't even be acessable to her lawyers."

"Couple of B&E's after I was 17..." Rude added. Gee, the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if his past was more or less checkered than Reno's.

"light charges. ..they'll be more worried about whether you're gonna be violent or not. but yeah, Rufus canbury those buggers deep. ..speaking of which, now that I can I prob'ly should inform him of Rennan's reappearance and what he needs ta do ta keep him away from any of the bitch's fam, eh?"

Rude nodded, reaching for his glass of wine as he continued to think over Reno's proposal. Could he live in the same house with Reno and a small child... with the way he was?

Reno had Rufus' phone dialed and waited for an answer.

"Hello?" Rufus answered, his voice a little gruff sounding.

"Boss. ..we have a situation. ..ya know the kid I had with Trish. ..well. ..he's not goin' back ta her if I can help it. ." He relayed everything he'd discovered. "I need ya ta bury Rude's two assault charges. ..bury 'em deep. ...as deep as ya damn well can. please. I don''t want her lawyers finding 'em."

"What?" Rufus replied, then followed with a quieter, "Tseng, hold on... stop that... hold ON a minute..." Rufus cleared his throat again. "I'll do what I can, but it may take a day or two."

"Allright. ..I'm gonna file the paperwork. ..like I said. ..he's not goin' back to her. .ever."

"And what has Rude said about this development?" Rufus asked carefully.

"He's.. .not happy. .but livin' with it for now. ..Rennan's far better off with us than he would be back with his mother, sir."

"I see. I'll try to get things taken care of by tomorrow evening." With that Rufus hung up, but before the phone clicked off, he moaned as Tseng went back to doing... whatever it was he was doing.

"I caught him while they were doin' the deed. ." Ren o chuckled.

Rude wasn't paying attention. He blinked, then breathed, then blinked again. Finally, he looked up and admitted, "I don't know the first thing about raising a child."

"you'll do better than she has."

But it wasn't his own flesh and blood. Rude felt... almost no more responsibility for the child than he did for any of the children during the whole Geostigma incident. And as for caring for the child's wellbeing... other than the fact that the boy was Reno's, he felt... nothing more than he would for any random child on the street. There was no connection. How could he be a good father-like figure without feeling connected to him? "How can you be sure?"

"Because it takes time. ..the connection's more'n genes you know. .it'll take time to happen, but it will.He's a lot like me as far as inner resilamce. ..though he's a lot mor polite. . .he'll grow on ya."

"But... I feel... nothing, Reno," Rude said brokenly, looking up as he said the redhead's name. He thought he should at least feel something towards the child... but he had nothing.

"Like I said, give it time. ..ya barely know him yet. ..an' you saved his life an' took carea him when I was physically unable to. should mean somethin'."

Rude neglected to mention he probably would've done that for any child. It probably wouldn't help the situation. "I..." he couldn't find words to express what he was feeling so he settled on taking another drink of his wine instead.

"At any rate. He likes you. ..maybe.. .you should sit down and try ta talk ta him some."

"What do a 28 year old and a five year old have to talk about?" Rude asked honestly. There was no sarcasm in his question. He really, honestly and a truly had no idea what he could talk to the boy about.

"what he wants from life when he gets older. ..every child has dreams, ya know. ..just. ..get ta know who he is as a person. ..I'm bettin' once ya do you'll like him."

"It's not that I don't like him, Reno..."

"You love me, right. .? He's my blood. ..no way you could be in the same house with him for any period of time WITHOUT endin' up feelin' attached...trust me on this. ..ya know how very rarely I'm wrong."

Rude kept to himself just how frequent Reno's 'rarely' really was. "He can't be your kid," Rude said, his smile growing slightly as he spoke. "He's quiet. He's polite. He's repectful. He's quiet..."

"He's also strong. ..with a quick smile, a love of racing games, and he has quite a mouth on him when you aren't lookin', prob'ly gleaned from his mom. . .I heard him say 'fuckin' renault' whil he was playin' gran tourismo earlier."

Rude raised an eyebrow. "How many times have I heard you say worse about that game?"

"Exactly. ...plus, he looks just like me." he laughed.

Rude just shook his head with that slight smile of his, his face saying more than words could.

Reno leaned in for a kiss. ..somehow. ..the two of them talking about his son like this. . .just felt RIGHT.

"You know what this means?" Rude said, his tone halfway between serious and joking. "You have to keep your mouth shut when I pound you into the bed now."

"I know. ..nothin' more embarassin' than walkin' in on your parents fuckin."

Rude shuddered. "Can we not talk about that, please?"

Reno laughed softly. "You didn't. ..did you?"

Rude nodded. "Twice."

Reno cracked up laughing then. "Oh. ..boy. .."

Rude just shuddered once, then tried to change the subject before Reno started digging. "So... are you coming back tonite or tomorrow?"

"I'm gonna pick up our stuff as soon's I head over to the courthouse. ..gonna file the paperwork, 'sgonna take until tomorrow for it to get ta Trish anyway and by that time the boss should have that shit buried deeper than the Lifestream."

"Hope so," Rude said softly.

"I got faith. ..but here comes the check. .you wanna make the courthouse run with me, or you gonna go back to the house?"

Rude took a deep breath. "I think... I'd rather head back to the house. If you don't mind."

"Allright. .I should only be a couple hours..." He brushed Rude's lips one more time.. .his face despite it all held a determined but lightened expression. ..he knew they could do this.

At least one of them had overwhelming buckets of faith. Rude nodded, paid for dinner, then walked Reno out to his car. "Call me if you need anything."

"Will do. "

It took him 20 minuts to get to the courthouse.

Rude, on the other hand, had gone to their new place to clean up a bit. Even with Reno only being gone, what, a day? the place needed a little tidying up.

"'scuse me...I need ta file custody papers for my son...where do I hafta go to do that?" He gave the desk clerk a charming smile.

"Are you currently married to the mother?" she asked blandly.  
"No ma'am, I'm not." He shudders a bit at that thought.

An eyebrow was raised. "How old is the child"

"He's five years old. His mom well.. .she an' I haven't talked since she had him, more her decision than mine. ..and a few things have recently come ta light that lead me ta believe he won't be safe residing with her."

The other eyebrow raised. This woman must've studied the Rudolph Urar Book of Expressive Eyebrows extensively. "Do you have an attorney retained, or will you within the next 48 hours?"

"Gonna be my next stop. By the way. ..you remind me o'my partner. He does the eyebrow thing, too." he chuckled.

The woman's smile lasted almost long enough for it to be registered by the human eye. "Have you filed a police report regarding your suspected mistreatment of the child? Have you made child protective services aware of this suspected mistreatment?"

"The doctor should have by now. report should be under Rennan Kendrick.. .Dr O'neil was the attending physician."

"Give me a minute to check the fax machine," the woman said, getting up and walking across the office towards the machine. After going through the paperwork, she called to another woman out of Reno's sight. "Hey, Janice? Yeah, did you pick up some paperwork from a Dr. O'Neill regarding a Rennan Kendrick?" A frown crossed her face before she walked quickly back towards Reno. "Could I Have your name again, sir?"

"Reno Tarshil, ma'am."

"I'll need you to sit over there," she said, pointing to a row of metal folding chairs along the hallway wall. "Officer Roderick will be with you in a moment."

"Yes ma'am." He sat tapping his fingers nervously on his leg

Within minutes a young, probably fresh from the academy officer walked up to the redhead. "Reno Tarshil?" he asked.

"Yes sir?"

Officer Roderick handed Reno a paper. "This is a missing person's report for Rennan Kendrick. It was filed yesterday by his mother. Do you know where the boy is?"

"He is currently in my physical custody sir. ..he was within the posession of the hijackers that had been robbing President Shinra's supply shipments"  
"According to the leader of said hijackers, she had sold the boy to them to pay off a debt she owed them. I would have you question him, but he's now decesed,"

Roderick shook his head almost sadly. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'll have to ask you to relinquish custody of him to the state. Between your being here to file for custody and the mother's filing of the missing person's report, along with Dr. O'Neill's recommendations... I have to put him in a foster home until the state can determine which, if either you or the mother, is the better parent."

Reno nodded,. "Understood, sir. ..but if I may request one thing. ..he be allowed to stay with Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart? Ms Lockhart is a registered foster parent, which if you look in your records you will notice, and I trust her."

"I will see what I can do," the Roderick said. "I'll let you get back to filing your custody papers, and I will be by your address tomorrow morning to pick up the child. I don't think I have to remind you that fleeing with the boy will not do you any good."

"wouldn't thinka doin' it sir. ..by the book. ..I already lost five yearsa my son's life through no faulta my own. ..I have no intentiona losing the rest of it."

With a nod, Officer Roderick went back into the office, nodded to the clerk at the counter, then disappeared back into the office... somewhere.

"Allright, let me get ta doin' this so I can spend the resta the afternoon with my husband an' my kid, please. .."

"Husband?" the clerk asked, her eyebrow again raised much like said husband's as she handed over the rest of the paperwork for Reno to fill out.

"Yeah, husband." He smirked. "At any rate, . ." He fills out the rest of the paperwork. "I think I'll take him to Gold Saucer in the chopper today. I doubt he's ever ridden in a chopper. .." Ah, the perks of working for Shinra.

The woman made a noncommittal noise, then went about notarizing and filing his paperwork. It was her way of silently dismissing Reno.

He stepped outside calling Rude "Yeah, 'sall filed. ..but she filed a missing persons report, you BELIEVE that shit?"

Rude grunted. He could honestly say he thought he knew Trish, but after the events of the past day or so, he wasn't so sure.

"She's gonna try ta keep custody. ..even after she sold him...AFTER she beat him. .she must be outta her fuckin' skull. ..anyway, figured take the three o'us to Gold Saucer for the day. ..he has to go into a foster home tomorrow morning. ..he's not gonna be happy about that."

"Why?" Rude asked. He wasn't entirely sure why the boy would have to go into foster care when Reno was obviously -- and he hated to admit it -- the more fit parent of the two.

"Because she's fuckin' fightin' back. ..they have to do the whole by the book shit."

Rude grunted in acknowledgement. He neglected to mention that he currently had his hand around himself, laying on the bed, having given up cleaning in favour of a little self love.

"Anyway, gonna go by 'Lena's for Livewire, and then come back there for an hour or so. ..an' save somea that for me"  
"Once I've claimed me a bitta that we'll go pick up Rennan an' then the chopper."

Rude was certain Reno heard his breath hitch. "How did you...?"

"I know you, Rude. ..when you make that partifcular noise it's usually 'cause you're tryin' ta keep your breathing even so I won't know what you're doing."

"And just what AM I doing?" Rude asked, his voice dropping slightly.

"You're thinkin' o'me with your hand wrapped around yourself pretty damn tight. ..an' I must say that's hot."

Rude's breath made a shuddering sound as he exhaled and shifted how he was holding the phone.

"Picture. .my tongue. ..running right up the bottom. ..hittin' that spot on the vein you love me to hit. ..the one that makes you shake."

Rude's breath came quickly as his hand slid more of the lube over his arousal. He hadn't intended it for anything more than a little stress relief, a little alone time before things got hectic again. But with Reno on the phone... "Yeah... love that spot..." he muttered.

"Licking your piercing while my throat vibrates around you. .."

Another shuddering breath through which Reno's name is interspersed.  
"Then me licking you clean afterward. ..just 'cause I love how you taste."

A gasp, a shudder, and Rude was spilling himself all over his chest and stomach.

"I'll be there in about an hour. ..do me a favor an' stay naked, eh?"

Rude figured it was best not to mention that he was actually wearing a pair of ancient jean shorts that he never wore in front of anyone. He made an affirmative noise, then looked around for a sock or something to clean himself off with.

It took all of 15 minutes for him to get to Elena's. He knocked on the door gently.

Elena opened the door. "Shh," she told Reno quietly. "I just got him to take a nap. Poor thing probably hasn't slept much in days."

"'Lena...c'n I talk to you out here a few before I take Livewire back ta the house?"

She nodded, grabbing her water bottle and closing the door gently. "So?" she asked.

"The bitch is gonna put up a fight, 'Lena. ..she filed a missing persons report yesterday. They're makin' him go to a foster home until they've setttled the custody."

"What?" she said, trying to keep her voice down. "She can't do that... She essentially gave him up."

Hands her a copy of the report he'd been given by the officer "Here it is. ..right here. I knew I shouldn'ta killed that asshole."

"Do you have a lawyer? Are you getting one?" she asked.

"Yeah, gonna do that before I go home. ..then we're gonna go to gold saucer for the day with Rennan. ..figured let him enjoy himself a little"  
"This is going to rip that poor boy apart," Elena said, shaking her head.

"I know, yo.. .I know. ..I asked 'em to let him stay with Tifa at least so I can drop by an' see'im."

"There's that, at least... if you can get it..." Elena said slowly.

"Yeah. ..I hate ta do this to him. ..but I can't let him go back there. . .I know what it felt like ta be hit. . .I can't let him go back to that without a fight. ..no one fought for me. ..I'm gonna make damn sure he has someone ta fight for him."

"Reno..." Elena's voice held much sorrow. She could see how much it hurt him just knowing Rennan could possibly end up back in the care of his mother, and she had to admire the strong front he was holding up, however... "You don't have to put on that face for me. I know it's hard, but you don't have to be strong for my sake."

He just shook his head. "I gotta be strong for him, 'Lena. ..if I fall apart. ..who's gonna be there ta fight for him? He's got no one but us, 'Lena."

"I never said you had to be strong for me," Elena said, pulling Reno close for a hug.

He leaned against her, he was shaking, even though his eyes were dry. "If I fall apart now, 'Lena. ..I may never find all th'pieces.. ."

You've got one little redheaded piece sleeping inside right now, and one big bald piece waiting for you at home. Don't tell me you won't be able to find the most important pieces," she said harshly as he held him tighter.

"An if I lose my son. Laney. ..?"

"Do you honestly think they won't let you keep him?" Elena asked.

"I had 'em bury Rude's records, Laney, but if they manage to find 'em anyway. ...shit. "  
"'salready a strike against me not having a mother figure in the house. .you know there're still plentya bigots that think two men can't possibly raise a kid right."

"Trish was a ShinRa secretary. How much money could she possibly have stored away for a lawyer?" Elena asked. "And if you think the judge is too much of a bigot, your attorney can request to have a different one see the case. With as much love as you've shown that boy in the less than 24 hours you've had him, they'd be sending him to his death if they gave him back to her."

He nodded, but the fear of losing his baby was clear in those green eyes. "I just hope ta God they don't manage ta uncover Rude's record. ...if the do, I'm FUCKED Laney."

"What about your own?" she asked, knowing full well that Reno's rap sheet was just as long, if not longer, than Rude's.

"I'mm not too worried about mine, a few drug charges, and an auto theft, but nothin' that would keep me from havin' him there, most of 'em where juvie." Which of course meant the records would be sealed.

"Have a little faith," Elena said with a smile, pulling back just enough from the hug to touch her nose to Reno's. "They'll probably ask that smart little boy of yours who he wants to live with, and even at that age, what they want weighs heavily on who gets him."

Reno nods "Guess I better get to the law offices before they close, huh?"

"That would be wise," she said with a tiny smile.

"Oh, I need that hard copy of the doctor's report, for the lawyer."

Elena held up her hand. "I'll grab it." She paused before she opened the door again, looking back at Reno. "He really is cute when he sleeps. Reminds me of you." With that, she had the door open and was already making her way to the kitchen, stepping around the makeshift fort of a dining room table.

Reno watched his son. ..noticing how he'd already in just the last 24 hours begun acting more like the little boy of five he was instead of the frightened animal he'd been when they'd found him.

Elena stood back, papers in hand, just watching Reno watch Rennan. After a moment, she touched the redhead's shoulder, keeping her slight laugh to herself when he jumped just a hair. "Never used to be able to do that," she said softly, handing him the papers.

"Thanks...he's already, in just this past day, starting to act like a normal kid. ..how could they take this from him? I don't get it. ..

She gestured for him to follow her back into the kitchen to let the boy sleep in peace. "They are the impartial third party. It's... what they're supposed to do."

"They'll see. ..they hafta see. ..I. ..I gotta go, Laney. .I'll let you know what the lawyer says."

"Call me 10 minutes before you come by to get him, and I'll have him ready to go." She smiled, pressing a light kiss to the tip of his nose. "Take care of yourself, or else how can you show them that you'll take care of him?"

"I know, Laney. ."With that, he was out the door. ..it took anotther 15 for him to get to the lawyer's office. "I need ta see an attorney about a custody case." He said to the receptionist.  
"Do you have an appointment?" the woman asked, still attempting to organize the disaster of files and papers that claimed to be her desk.

"Reno Tarshil ma'am, called from the courthouse." She'd immediatly know. .'The Turk's kid.' was what they were already calling the case in legal circles.

"Uh huh," she said, more to herself than Reno. She shuffled through the pile on her desk, searching for the file that had already been sent from the courthouse. "Turk's kid... Turk's kid..." She looked up at him. "Kid doens't have the same last name as you, right?" she asked.

"No ma'am.. .he doesn't. ...though if I get full custody I have ever intention o'changin' that."

"Most of 'em do," she said, again more to herself than Reno. After another moment, she let out an "Ah ha!" and magically pulled a file folder out without letting any of the ones on top of it fall. "Let me see if Ms. Berry's ready for you." With that, she took the file with her down the hallway, knocked on one of the farther doors, then went in.

Reno leaned against the wall, he looked NERVOUS.

The clicking of the secretary's heels heralded her return. She flopped back down in her chair with a "She'll be up in a moment."

"Thank ya ma'am...they say she's onea the most vicious custody attorneys on the easern continent. ..I feel priviledged to be able ta hire her."

"She hasn't taken your case yet," the secretary said carefully. She leaned forward over her desk, glancing first down the hallway to see if said attorney was coming yet. "She usually doesn't take cases from men... But you didn't hear that from me"  
"Ah.. .well. . .we'll see what happens. .." He gives that charming smile, but the worry and tension could still be seen underneath it,.

The secretary smiled back, then went back to her attempt to make sense of the chaos on her desk.

Within a minute, a tall, thin woman dressed in a fitted black suit rounded the corner. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, away from her face. Were it not for the cynical, almost harsh look on her face, she would be a rather pretty woman. "Reno Tarshill?" she asked.  
Michael TW Kelley: "Yes, ma'am." He has the doctor's report and the police report, as well as the recordings from the car's survelliance equipment he'd not thought to give to the police officer . .all of the evidence he'd been able to dredge up against his ex girlfriend.

She raised a sharp looking eyebrow. "I see you've come prepared. Good. Come with me." She didn't wait for Reno as she walked quickly back to her office, sitting at her immaculate desk. "Please," she said, indicating one of the wooden chairs that were facing her desk.

Reno sat. "Yes, ma'am. ..as soon as I discovered what had been occuring I did my best to get all my ducks in a row. I don't want him going back into that situation. Despite what Miss Kendrick might put about to others, I love my son, and have tried to maintain contact with him. Unfortunatly due to circumstances beyond my control a custody battle was neither advisable nor really possible up to this point."

"Are you still employed by ShinRa Inc., Mr. Tarshil?"

"Yes ma'am, I am. steadily so for the past 7, almost 8 years." His wedding band would flash in the dim light, ever since they'd gotten pretty much back together it had never left his finger.

She filed that wedding band into the back of her mind for questioning later. "And are you still a member of the Administrative Research Division?" She refused to use that silly 'Turks' nickname the department had been given.

"Yes, ma'am. I am." He hoped that would not be too great a mark against him, it is after all how he had found his son to begin with.

"I am well aware that the deparment should have been named the Assassination and Torture for Intelligence Department, Mr. Tarshill. As is everyone else." Her voice was as sharp as her jawline.

"A lot has changed since the current adminstration took over, ma'am. ..I have as many regrets as about anyone else who worked under Jack."

"Your face was on the evening news during the Sector 7 plate drop," she said, almost offhandedly. "Many people have yet to forget those they lose." She paused. "However, you occupation and your fathering abilities may be two sepearte things, correct?"

"Yes ma'am, much different. I have. ..personal experience with actions of the sort she has alledgegly perpetrated against Rennan., therefor I know how damaging they can be to a young psyche."

"Paint me a picture of this woman," she said, picking up a pen and writing Reno's name at the top of a legal pad.

"I thought when I met her that she was a nice girl. .then again, I was 17 then, what did I really know? I did think it odd she was pushing for a serious comittment within 2 months of the beginning of our relationship. Pushing for the steps I at that young age was not ready for uis what caused our breakup. ..according to my son she has been basically telling her what a horrid person I am. ..when I found him, he was in the hands of the band of hijackers that has been responsible for the theft of multiple truckloads of supplies Shinra Corp has been using to assist in the rebuilding efforts. The leader said she had SOLD him to them."

"And did you try to make contact with the child at any time between his birth and the incident with the hijackers a few days ago?"

"Yes ma'am. ..though I did not know of his existance even until he was 2 1/2. .at the time I saw him he was in front of Midgar Toys, I approached her, and asked her for her phone number so I could have contact with my son and she said that I was 'a sicko fag that did not deserve to raise a child.'"

"Are you, Mr. Tarshill..." she paused, looking for the best way to say it, but ended up with, "A homosexual?"

"Yes ma'am...bi-sexual in actuallity, but I am living openly in a homosexual marriage at this time yes."

"Are you aware that such marriages are newly legal, and only legal in some areas of the world? And that there are some that would consider your choice of partners to not be the best place for a child to be raised?"

"Yes ma'am.. though I don't see why your choice of whom to love should have anything to do with your skill in parenting."

"That is not something I chose to debate," she said, slightly less sharp than her previous tone. "However, for whatever reason, some people believe that a child needs a strong female figure in his or her life, regardless. I am just warning you of the difficulties we could face against your ex-wife."

"ex-girlfriend" he corrected "I am now GLAD I never married her.But yes, I am very much aware of the difficulities. I only know I am able to provide my son a stable home with two parents in a fairly stable relationship, Heck, he'd even have a pet."

Ms. Berry laughed, and her laugh was completely unlike the rest of her, rich and full. Perhaps she wasn't as harsh and heartless as some people made her out to be. "And, what, Mr. Tarshill, do you plan to bring up when you are asked about child care? About your job requiring you to be gone from the home for extended periods of time? Will your husband be there to oversee the child, or will you have a nanny of some sort?"

"I had intended on providing child care of course, mostly likely with a miss Tifa Lockhart, who is a cerified day care provider as well as certified with the government as a foster parent."

"I am well aware of Miss Lockhart's credentials," Ms. Berry said. "I finalized the paperwork for her to fully adopt that Denzel boy. Bright boy, but terribly quiet." She paused, going back to her notes on the legal pad. "Now, this husband of yours... Tell me about him."

"He's been my partner ever since I started with the company.. ..usually a quiet sort, though he talks more around me usually. Aside from a few rough patches we've been exclusive for 6 1/2 years."

"Define 'rough patches'," She asked, perusing through the open file marked 'Kendrick, Rennan / Tarshill, Reno (father) / custody'.

"He had a few anger issues from a past relationship to work through.. .which is why it had not been wise to seek custody when I first discovered his existance. we have since worked through those issues, and there have been no further incidents, most of those were vocal only, and directed only at me, the only one which could even have been construed as physical was during meteor, and he did not strike me, things have been pretty much stable since we had the breakthrough." He gives her documentation of the counseling session, he knew it would come up. "I also intend to attend counseling for my own issues, ones which will nto have impact on my ability to raise my son."

"While the counseling is good," she said, looking over the papers Reno had given her. She paused for a moment. "Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness?"

"No ma'am..aside from ptsd, which considering my own raising is really no big surprise."

"Would you be able to pass a mental examination? And a drug screening?"

"Yes, ma'am. ..I do admit to illicit drug use, but have since stopped. and yes, I would wllingly submit to the exam"  
She closed the file in front of her. "This will be a difficult case to win, Reno," she said, using the redhead's first name for the first time since meeting him. "However, I have never shied away from a difficult case. Please leave your number with my secretary and I will call you in a few days."

"Yes, ma'am. In the meantime. ..I'm going to go enjoy some time with my son."

"That would be wise. You have some time to make up," she said, standing and holding out her hand for Reno to shake. "I'll be in touch."

Reno shook, before striding out to the secretary, giving her the numbers both for the condo and his cell. Then he turns back "Thank you so much, ma'am. ..you've really given me a chance at something I never thought I'd have."

"Don't thank me yet," she said, then went back to his file with a look of dismissal.

Reno strode out, calling Elena first as he walked back out toward the car.

"Reno?" she asked, and Reno would hear Rennan's laughter in the background.

"Yeah. ..she said she'd be in touch in a few days. ..said it'd be tough, but I'm willing to do anything I have to in order to help Rennan."

"That's good... Rennan!" Elena laughed. Reno would hear a slight scuffle over the line. "Yes, yes, I'm coming outside. Yes, I won't forget the ball. Just give me a minute. Auntie Elena isn't as young as she used to be!"

"I don't wanna lose him. ..I promised Rude I'd call to tell him how things went. ..I guess I'd better. Tell Rennan Papa loves him very much and has a surprise for him, ok?"

"Tell him yourself," Elena said, then handed the phone to the boy with a, "Now where is that softball"  
"Hey, slugger. ."

"Papa?" Rennan said, voice taking on an almost reverant tone. "Papa! Auntie Elena's teaching me to play softball! She's gonna throw the ball, then I'm supposed to hit it! I'm not very good at it, but she says I'll get better if we practice!"

"Yeah, you will. ..Papa's got a surprise for you this afternoon as soon as I get our things home. ..have you ever been to Gold Saucer?"

"Noooo..." the boy replied, and one could almost see his stance taking on a hint of shyness.

"How would you like to go?"

"Really? You mean it?" Rennan's voice got more excited as he spoke.

"Yes, I do. ..You'll get to fly in a chopper, too."

"Wow!" Reno would certainly hear Rennan running and nearly crashing into Elena. "Auntie Elena! Papa's gonna take me to the Gold Saucer! In a chop-mer!" Thankfully, the phone was held a little way from the boy's head, otherwise Reno might have a little hearing difficulty for the next few days

Reno laughed. "Listen, Papa's gotta call Rude, ok? I'll be by to pick you up in about an hour."

"Rude's the big bald man, right?" Rennan asked, his tone dropping into near shyness again.

"Yeah. .he's startin' ta like you. ..He won't hurt you. .he's just gotta get used to you. .he's also Papa's hussband. ..we'll win him, right?"

The boy frowned, not quite understanding all of his Papa's words. "Papa... how long's a hour?"

"When the big hand goes all the way around to the. .." he looked at his watch. "The 5 again, I'll be there, k?"

"Oh. Okay!" With that the phone was dropped, Elena was heard to say Rennan's name again, then the woman picked up the phone. "Reno? You still there?"

"Yeah."

My neighbor's out walking his dog, and Rennan's taken quite a fancy to the little thing," Elena laughed. "So, when will you be picking him up for this excursion?"

"Hour from now. I gotta call Rude and tell him how stuff went."

"Okay. Then I'm going to feed him, maybe get him a bath and see if I can wash his clothes before you get here."

"allright" with that he hung up and called Rude. 


	38. Chapter 38

Hello?" Rude answered his phone just as breathlessly as he had before, but this time there was a noticably different reason.

"Hey, She says it's gonna be tough, but she's not backin' down. ..managed to get Berry, yo" Oh yes..Berry..the one that had helped to finalize Denzel's adoption.

Rude raised an eyebrow, then muttered an 'Excuse me,' to the person he jogged past. He'd gotten bored sitting in that place all by himself, and besides... Reno was late. To Reno, he said, "Heard she's a real bitch."

"She's tough, but tough's what we need. .took longer at the lawyer's than I thought. ..headed back to the house, then ta get Rennan, be there in ten."

Rude's sneakered feet still made a stacattoed sound as he purposefully stepped on each step of the stairs he first ran down, then back up before continuing the last block towards their home. "We still on?" he asked.

"Hell yeah, I need the stress reliief before I hafta break the news to the poor kid he can't stay, too. ."

"Good," Rude said, the only indication that he was actually working out being that ever so slight breathless quality to his voice. "See you in ten."

Reno as he stepped back in, he got undressed, standing in front of the closet.

Rude had heard Reno shuffling around the bedroom from the shower, but finished washing the sweat off himself before he went out there. Wouldn't do to be smelling like man sweat. "Reno," he said as he stepped into the bedroom doorway, naked as the day he was born. Well, naked plus piercings. All of them.

Reno looked him up asnd down. .very appreciatively. . .he had gotten ink across his back, the sea serpent up his spine in bright blue ink. .he smiled as he turned back around. .the tail dipped in between those sweet asscheeks and the head. .well the head wrapped around the shaft. the color looked no more than a day old.

Rude raised an eyebrow. "When?" He could see the shining of the clear ooze Reno's body was making, trying to heal the supposed wound.

"Color between breakfast an' Laney's. .other bits an' pieces while we were apart in Costa. .you know me, masochistic little fucker, least tattoos are a better indulgance."

"Hurt?" Rude asked, stepping forward to get a closer look.

"'course. the one arond front the most."

Rude circled Reno, then stopped at his back. "You liked it?" he asked, a single finger hovering just inches away from Reno's tattoo.

"yeah. ..good kinda hurt, though.. .somethin' beautiful came outta it."

"Still?" Rude asked, his fingertip touching the clear ooze over the blue ink in Reno's skin.

"some...you like?"

Rude smiled, aware that Reno probably couldn't see it. Instead, he traced his finger just outside of the outline of the tattoo on Reno's back, saving that place where it wrapped around to Reno's cock for later.

Reno hissed, but leaned into the touch.  
After Rude finished one side, he traced his finger down the other. "More?" he asked, his voice dropping as his cock twitched.  
"It curves around m'hip. ..then..well, as you c'n see." he shuddered at the trailing finger.

Rude shook his head, his mouth becoming dry as he spoke. "Can you take... more?" He was treading into dangerous territory, and he knew it, but.  
Reno nodded. ..his body responding to each of the furtive touches.

Rude took that same teasing finger, placing it at the start of the tattoo and holding it there for a moment before lightly trailing it over the now blue skin along Reno's spine, not stopping until he was touching right above the redhead's tailbone.

Reno shuddered now. .. pain and pleasure melding just right along his nerves, making them sing.

"If you want me to stop..." Rude offered, his finger retracing its steps in reverse.

"n-no. ..don't stop.. .shit. .." and he was already at attention. ..the mouth of the water god encasing him perfectly, indicating he'd had to keep himself hard through almost the whole thing.  
Rude's lips came within a breath of Reno's ear. The bald man looked down, seeing that yes, Reno was enjoying himself. "Was it hard?" he asked, moving his hand to scratch a short, blunt nail along Reno's side.

He nodded. .."yeah. .."

"Didn't even need to touch it, did you?" Rude asked, that hand sliding around to let his fingers pinch at those pert pink nipples.

"Nah. ..didn't. .. was thinkin' of you."

"Oh?" Rude's tone became more amused as he flicked his tongue out to just barely trace the shell of Reno's ear as he scratched his nails down Reno's chest and abdomen, avoiding the flesh begging for attention between the redhead's legs.

Reno was gasping, that blue inked flesh twitching.

Rude let his tongue trace down the side of Reno's neck before he left little bites along the top of his shoulder. "You trust me too much," he whispered.

"I'm supposed to. ..I love you." He hissed at the contact...Gods. .it felt wondrous.

Rude made a noise before he wrapped both arms around Reno, pulling the redhead flush with him. As he did that, he bit down hard at the juncture of the redhead's neck and shoulder, sucking enough to instantly leave a mark.  
He let a soft, hissing, gasping cry.."R-rude..." his whole body shivering with each contact.

He pressed his arousal against the redhead's tailbone, feeling the clear fluid from Reno's tattoo on his cock. "Again," he whispered, voice taking on a harsher tone as he spoke, the lust within it evident. To further encourage his partner, he bit down on the other side of Reno's neck, right at the juncture of shoulder and neck.

He shivered harder.. .moaning out, pressing into him.

"Something you want?" Rude growled, his fingers finally touching that freshly shaved patch of skin around Reno's arousal.

"D-don't stop. ..keep touching me. .." his voice was hoarse with need.

"Where?" Rude asked, his hand finally going around Reno's cock. "Here?"

Another hissing gasp. ...again pain and pleasure in that perfect heady mix..."G-gods yes...fuck me. ...please. ."

"Here? Now? Just like this?" Rude asked, his grip tightening around Reno with each word he spoke.

He bit his lip and the cry this time was louder as the head began weeping in response.

"I'll take that as a yes," Rude smirked. Keeping one hand around Reno, he took a pair of fingers from his other hand, stuck them into his mouth just long enough to get a little saliva on them, then slide them into Reno's body. "Hurt?" he asked.

"Feels..just right. . .shit. .."

Rude scissored his fingers for a moment, then slowly pulled them from Reno's body. Without additional warning, he pressed forward with his arousal, pushing open the redhead's entrance as he slid the entire way inside, the friction causing even Rude to gasp a little in discomfort.

Reno screeched, but still drove further back. ..the tiniest bit of blood only enhancing things, the sweet coppery scent making him harder than he thought possible.

Rude froze at that smell. "You're bleeding," he said plainly. As much as Reno liked playing at being hurt, actually causing blood loss wasn't on Rude's plans of things to do with your lover.

"Please. ..don't stop now. ." he didn't WANT it to stop, the hint of blood. .of pain. .it had always made things more intense.

"Are you sure?" Rude asked.

"I trust you. ." he whispered. "I trust you not to let things go too far."

A single nod from Rude and he was gently walking with Reno towards the bed. Once there, he not too harshly pushed the redhead down, bending him over the edge of the bed while Rude was still buried inside him. "Where were we?" he growled.

Reno's hitching cry told JUST where they were.. . he placed his entire self in Rude's hands...trusting the big man now with everything.

Rude leaned over the redhead, placing his forearm across Reno's shoulderblades to hold himself up, putting just a little bit of pressure on his lover as he pulled himself out, trying to ignore how the blood from his forceful entry was making it easier to move inside Reno.  
Reno was twitching, gasping. ..breath almost stolen from his lungs not only from the pressure on his back, but from the intense sensations. ..heat and cold running in alternate trails over his nerves. ..he whispered "I trust you...with all of me. ..I trust you not to hurt me any more than just that tiny bit of pain that makes me feel. .."

Rude's hips set up a slow rhythm of their own as he leaned down, putting just a little more pressure on Reno's back. "Makes you feel what?" he asked.

"Makes me feel it all.. everything I've forgotten how to feeel.. . love. ..hate. ..all of it so intense. ..so wonderful. .."

Rude stayed where he was, his hips starting to move faster of their own accord. His free hand, the one that wasn't holding him up, reached for as much of Reno's skin as he could feel, scratching and grasping.  
Reno when he went did so with his head tilted back, his entire body twitching fiercely...clamping down on Rude almost tightly enough to cut off his circulation. ..his knees buckled as he spurted seed in waves against the bed. ..resting his face against the covers, breathing harshly.

"Guh!" was the extent of Rude's vocabulary as he spent himself inside the redhead, his eyes rolling back in his head as he unconsciously pushed harder down on Reno's shoulders, his blunt nails digging into the redhead's thigh.

"That was...so incredible." he tried to stand and failed..he had blood dripping almost everywhere, but it didn't bother him in the least. as soon as he COULD stand he headed into the shower, gesturing Rude in with him.

Rude followed, muttering a "You look like you got in a fight with your damn cat," as he turned on the shower.

Reno turned a cocky grin back on him as he washed the evidence of their rough play away.

Rude just rinsed himself off, having taken a shower after his jog less than an hour ago.

"Gotta go get Rennan now. ..you..are so incredible."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Rude said, pressing a light kiss to Reno's cheek. "But you already knew that."

"You gonna come with, or get the stuff ready? I already got Rennan's stuff."

Rude pointed to the two suitcases by the door. "Ahead of you," he said with a slight smile.

"Good man...guess we're set then." He strode out, his hair didn't even give hints, he'd brushed and rebound it.  
Rude followed, allowing Reno to drive. Rude still wasn't entirely sure how to get to the place Elena was staying at.

15 minutes later they pulled up, Reno knocked.

Rude's weight shifted from foot to foot. He was about to spend the next who knows how many hours with Reno and the boy, doing... family things. He wasn't ready for 'family things.  
As the door opened Reno about got knocked down by his son.

Rude's eyes widened. Was that child naked?

"Papa, papa! just finished my bath..Auntie 'Lena got me new clothes!"

"Rennan!" Elena's voice entered the living room before she did. "Come on, let's get dressed. You're wearing me out..."

"Coming, Auntie 'Lena!" The little redhaired boy dashed back out to her to get dressed.

Reno let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, like me, he has trouble keeping his clothes on."

Rude just shook his head. If the boy was going to stay that hyperactive, he wasn't sure he'd be able to survive a trip to the Gold Saucer.

Livewire mewed, nudging both men to be petted.

Rennan when he finally came out had what looked for all the world like a Turk uniform in miniature.

"You've got to be kidding me," Rude muttered, dropping a hand to pat the cat on the head.

"Ta da!" Elena said, proudly. "He looks just like a miniture version of his father, doesn't he"  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno chuckled a little. "Yeah, he does.

Rude just shook his head, scratching the damn cuahl behind its ears... Seems that cat was the only sane one other than him in the group at the moment.

"Let's go Papa, let's go"  
Elena handed Rude the small duffle bag of clothes she'd managed to purchase for Rennan, winking at him. She turned back to the littl redhead, kneeling down to be closer to his level. "Okay, sweetie, looks like you three are going. Give Auntie Elena a hug and kiss."

Rennan gave her a big hug and a kiss, then held out hands for both men, looking at them expectantly.

It took a moment, but Rude slowly offered his hand to the little boy. Holding the boy's hand... he could handle that... right?

Reno led him out, helping him buckle up, then they were off.

Rude was silent thoughout the drive, just listening to Reno and his son's excited chatter.

Rennan dragged them into wonder square first, then to the event square, he even got to watch his Papa in the battle arena, where Reno won a rare materia for him. ..chocobo races, Rennan even got to get his picture taken with one of the jockeys on TOP of the winning chocobo. ..finally, when it was time to go home, Rennan yawned, laying against Reno's shoulder, he reached out with another to hug Rude as well. ..he said "I love my papa Reno an' my papa Rude. .. love you both...dank you. .." just before he slipped into sleep with the Tarshil twitch on his father's shoulder.

Rude's face got that deer in headlights look as he drove. While he didn't freeze, bodily, his mind instantly flashed through hundreds of thoughts. "Papa Rude...?" he said quietly. He'd never considered he would ever be anyone's 'papa'... much less this child's... Reno's child's. There was no question that Reno was the boy's father, and by Rude's traditional family model that would make him... the mother? No. Possibly. Not really. He was wondering just what he would be called by the boy, and honestly, he'd settled in his mind on just Rude, like everyone else he was familiar with called him. But now he was 'Papa Rude'...?

"He loves ya already. .. I know it's gonna take time. ..m'dreadin' tomorrow, but I didn't have the heart ta tell him. ..shit. "  
"He's a tough kid," Rude replied, mind still racing.

"Yeah...Gods, I don't wanna give 'im up. .." his eyes had stayed dry ever since he'd been told that Rennan would be placed in foster care. ..he had to stay strong for his son now, there would be time for tears later. . .tears of victory when he got to tell that bitch what was what.

"Elena always says that things'll work out for the best," Rude offered. He really wasn't that great with the verbal consolation thing. He was more of a hands on guy. And his kind of hands on consolation wasn't rated PG.

"Yeah, I know. ..just hope that best doesn't mean me losin' my boy again."

"I know." It was all Rude could say.

Reno carried Rennan inside, laying him down in his bed, he gave him a kiss on his forehead, eyes closing, even though they were dry the raw ache could be felt almost oozing from his pores. "I love you, Rennan.. . never forget that." before striding out of the room, glomming onto Rude with shaking limbs, raw grief making him tremble.

Rude's arms went around Reno, just holding him there, letting him come to terms with his feelings.

"We should let him sleep, yo. .." He dragged Rude from the entryway to the bedroom. ..leaving Rennan to curl up with Livewire on the sofabed. ."His lips siezed Rude's. ..the scratches didn't bother him. .but this did.

Rude pushed his tongue past Reno's lips, caressing the redhead's as he worked on getting Reno out of his clothing without breaking the kiss.  
Reno clung to him desperatly, helping Rude out of his as well. ..once he had him nude he pressed against him, as if trying to absorb his courage as well as his body heat.

Rude reclaimed Reno's mouth, and with a slight nudge towards the bed, indicated just where he wanted his lover.

Reno pretty much led him by the mouth to the bed, laying down with him.

Rude moved himself and Reno until he was laying on his back with his lover laying over him. "Do what you will," he said with a teasing smile.

Reno moved down his body. ..kissing his way from neck down to chest, savoring each inch. ..then down his legs. ..before settling in between his legs. .suckling gently.

Instead of the usual hurried feeling, Rude just felt relaxed as gentle wave after gentle wave of pleasure washed over him, making his toes curl slightly.

"I love you.. ." he whispered around him. .sitting up now, slowly kissing his way up until he was fully sitting...then sliding slowly down onto Rude. .inch by inch.

It was still a slow, gentle, toe-curling feeling that flowed through Rude's veins as he gently rested his hands on Reno's hips. "Love you," he replied, remembering how Reno had mentioned that he didn't say it enough.

Reno took it slow as in he didn't want this night to end. .more specifically as if he didn't want morning to come. . .his motions slow...soft hitching gasps as the sweet spot was repeatedly hit.  
"Shh," Rude admonished quietly as Reno's voice got what he considered to be just a hair too loud. Didn't need to traumatize the boy twice in less than 24 hours.

Reno bit his lip, muffling the sounds. ..then a soft groan, again muffled, as he began squeezing around Rude in waves. ..splashing himself with salty fluid.

Rude just held himself inside Reno's spasming body, feeling that last few clenches finally pull him over the edge, and with a low groan, he spilled himself inside the redhead.  
Reno as he settled in next to Rude made sure he had the alarm set for 7 so he could be up in time to be there for his son.

Rude lay there, his arm under Reno's head, just listening to the soft snoring coming from the other room. Whether it was Rennan or the cat, Rude wasn't sure, but it was sort of... comforting, especially when combined with the sound of Reno's breathing.  
When the alarm rang Reno got up, staggering toward the kitchen, making coffee for himself nd Rude, and breakfast for all three. .his heart was breaking, but he wouldn't let anyone know.

Rude was careful to make sure he wasn't pointing at anyone with his boxers before he went out to the living room.

Rennan as he stepped out said with the same creaky morning voice Reno had "Mornin' Papa Reno,mornin' Papa Rude."

Reno put the ham and cheese omelet in front of the boy, then one in front of Rude.

"Morning," Rude said, his voice gruff sounding with disuse through the night.

"Mornin', Rennan, you sleep good?"

"Yes, Papa."

Rude grabbed his pack of cigarettes and his coffee after finishing his omlette and stepped outside on the balcony. He was about to light up when a stray gust of wind caused that certain Testicular-Tonsil meeting that meant it was getting cold out. He hopped back inside with a slight shiver and we into the bedroom in search of a robe.

"you stay here, papa'll be right back." with that he grabbed his coat and headed out for one himself.

Rude handed Reno his pack and lighter and just stared out at the city skyline. "You tell him?" he asked finally.

"I don't know how. .." his voice cracked.

Rude was about to ask if Reno wanted him to tell the boy when said child knocked on the glass doors.

"Papa Rude," he said loudly, even after they had opened the door. "Your Tifa is on the phone." He handed Rude his cell phone.

"They approved me o take him. .we're coming in 20 minutes"  
Rude grunted a 'thank you,' then hung up, turning to Reno. "We're golden," he said, hoping the redhead would understand.

Reno nodded, smile flickeriing a bit before he knelt in front of Rennan. "sweetheart.. .listen, ok. promise not to get too upset?"

"What's 'upset' mean?" the boy asked. It was so hard to remember that he was five, sometimes.

"Don't be too sad. ..Tifa's coming here. ..an' you hafta go with her for a while.. ..c'n you be brave for Papa?"

"Rude's Tifa's not like Mama, is she?" he asked quietly.

"No. she's a good lady. .. you know Denzel. ..she's his mama now."

Rennan frowned, looking as if he were thinking really hard. Then, after a moment, he smiled with an, "Okay. Can I go play cars now?"

"Yeah..." with that he turned. ..seeing the car come up the drive. ..his eyes were dry, but so very sad. 


	39. Chapter 39

Reno nodded as Tifa knocked on the door. ..he strode over to the door, opening it. "He's in the living room, Tif."

The woman nodded. She'd brought Denzel with her, since he knew the boy in passing. Even though Denzel was a few years Rennan's senior, he was friends with a few of the boy's friends.

Reno wacthed the car drive away through the window, and wanted one thing more than anything in the world, to get good and loaded, but what good would that do when court time came?

Rude, as if reading his lover's mind, walked slowly up behind him, a pair of rocks glasses and a fifth of scotch in his hands.

"Thanks yo. ..Gods..feel like halfa my world just rode away in that car."

Rude just nodded, the chilled bottle cold against his too warm hands. He poured them both a double, then set the bottle back down on the little endtable by the couch that had yet to be put back in order from the little boy's overnight.

Reno took a good look around the condo, seeing the mess the boy had left, and though he'd been in and out like a breeze, his stay had caused indellible changes in his father's heart. He took three gulps off the shot, draining it.

Rude raised an eyebrow and just poured Reno another shot. The redhead needed a little oblivion, if just for that day.

"'swierd, never thought it'd hurt..." he just sighed, downing the second as well, until the phone rang. "Ms Berry, hello, are we a go?"

"We have a date for the preliminary," she replied, her voice sharp over the phone. "Be at the courthouse at 9:00 am SHARP, Tuesday, next week. I will meet with you again, at my office, this Friday and again the Monday before"  
"Yes ma'am. . .I'll have anything else I can find between now an' then that might help with me." When he hung up, he set the glass down. "gotta ttake the truck over to the site, between the mission and the mess with Rennan. .it never got done." he sounded sharp again. "plus more intelligence gathering. I'm gonnas tear the bitch apart."

Rude nodded, finishing his first shot. Whatever Reno needed to do, within reason, he was behind the redhead entirely. That's what husbands are supposed to do, right?

Reno picked up the keys to the truck, passing them to his partner, then picked up his laptop, going through whatever records he could find.

Rude knew, somehow, that he was going to hear it about being late with the truck. The rebuilding wasn't something the President took lightly.  
Reno knew it too, though in this case, it might not be so bad, after all, he had been pretty sick when they'd come back with it, and had lost more than a half a day, then the mess with Rennan.

Rude just went through his usual pre-drive check of anything larger than a car. The last thing he wanted to do was get all the way here, then have the brakes go out or something.

Which would be just their luck, but would Reno speak such a thing aloud? Hell no, his life was cursed enough as it was, thank you very much.

Seeing that everything was in order, Rude climbed into the truck, then started it, waiting for Reno to enter as well.

Reno stepped into the passenger seat, still rifliing through the intraweb for everything he could find on Trish.

Rude drove silently, not wanting to disturb Reno, and realizing just how much you had to pay attention in that town to the traffic. Midgar's traffic had been bad, but never as bad as that

Reno as he peered up when they arrived felt his eyes widen...there, among the workers, was a VERY familiar dark haired head. .."Fuck no. ..look who's receiving orders at the site for the construction firm we're using. .."

Rude had to squint to see just who Reno was talking about. Stupid sunlight shining right through his sunglasses. That was why he always preferred the expensive ones to the el cheapo brands. However, with Reno for your partner, el cheapo seemed to have less of an impact on the wallet when they got destroyed.

As soon as the truck stopped Reno had folded up his laptop and marched out to Reeve. "Hey, Reeve. ..were you aware you hired someone who beats kids?"

Reeve looked over at the beginning of Reno's words, but frowned by the end of them. "Reno, Rude," he said in greeting. "I believe you've lost me before we've even started."

Rude just nodded in greeting back to Reeve, waiting to see if he'd have to pull Reno off his baby's mama or if he was just going to get to move the truck to wherever it needed to be.

"THIS woman. .." He gestures to Trish "has been hitting her kid. ..who also happens ta be mine. ..ain't that right, Trish, Dear?"

"Fuck off, Reno," Trish replied ever so elequently. "Before I have to file a fucking restraining order on you."

"Oh, I haven't hit you, not a damn thing the courts would do. ..besides, I got so much on you, I'm gonna get to laugh in your fuckin' face next week. ..count yourself lucky I'm doin' it the right way insteada just makin' you disappear."

"Go ahead. Lay a hand on me," Trish taunted, stepping towards Reno threateningly. "You'll never fucking see your son again." She was standing directly in front of him then, before she tossed out, offhandedly, "Not that I'm entirely sure he's yours..."

"My name's on the birth certificate, not only that, he looks exactly like I did at five, don't try that on me. .but no. .I'm not gonna hit you, no matter how bad I wanna. ..no, beating on someone weaker and smalller is your department, not mine."

"What better than to put a Turk's name on the birth certificate? Can't get 250 gil a week from someone hung like a horse..." She wasn't going to back down. She wasn't going to lose. Not if she had anything to say about it. "And what was that about beating on those weaker and smaller than you? I'm sure your HUSBAND," she spat that word out like a terrible taste, "knows all about that."

"which you won't have to use, Trish. ..'sall gone bye bye.. .besides...he's trying to change. .you aren't. ..and never will. ..see you in court, Trish." with that he walked over to Rude, leaning against him, giving Trish a very taunting grin before saying. "it's really too bad you can't touch a man without turning him gay."

Trish's laugh was harsh. "There are things even the dear President ShinRa can't do. When will you realize that?" She sauntered up to Rude, pursing her lips. "It's too bad you took this nice piece off the market," she said, trailing a manicured nail along Rude's jaw. "I hear he's hung and knows all the ways to make a girl scream..." She looked at Rude. "When you're ready for something tight, warm and wet, call me, big guy." With that, she sauntered away.

Rude just blinked. He felt... dirty. And embarassed. Who would've said anything about his -- ahem -- size.

Reno was simply steamed. ..extremely steamed. .when he yells after her "At least he doesn't hit people who can''t hit back, bitch!" before he strides over to Reeve. "Here are the keys, and the receiving papers. ..where's the boss?"

A single bright red nail attached to a certain finger lifted, and that was her only response.

Reeve's smile was rather forced, and everyone could tell how little the man was sleeping since heading up the WRO. "Our benefactor has sent an agent in his place. I wasn't going to question why he couldn't be here, what with Tseng being the agent sent."

"Oh Great. ..can't even chew us out in person."

Tseng merely melted out of the shadows of the building with a lofted brow. "Yes, you two are rather late. ..though in this case, it is understandable."

Rude lifted an eyebrow. If that was all the scolding they were going to get... Tseng must've had another mission for them. Otherwise, he was certain there should have been more...

"I take it that is the esteemed Ms Kendrick?"

"Oh,, you mean the straight out bitch?"

Tseng chuckled a bit "And yes, I do. ..we have discovered.. .a few other things about her which may make this court battle rather ir relevant. ..some things she has posession of that the President would like back. ..by any means necessary."

Rude frowned. There it was. The mission. Not only that, but he knew Reno would be taking it personally.

Reeve bowed, then backed away from the group of Turks. "As facinating as it is, I'm afraid I have much to do. Gentlemen." With a nod, he turned and went back to overseeing his people.

"You will be sitting this one out, Reno. ..I know how personally you'd take this, and I have no wish to jeapordize your chances of regaining custody of your son should this assignment go sour and killing her become a neccessity...now what she has in her posession is the hard drive from the old President's computer which has many company secrets on it, some of which could prove quite damaging to our reputation. .including the fact that Jack Shinra was financially supporting Don Corneo's operations. That could be damaging to us as a company, and to you as well, Reno, in this coming case. Rude and I will be going on this assignment."

Only Rude's eyes showed his shock. He couldn't remember the last time he partnered with Tseng on a mission. Ever since Veld had decided he and Reno worked perfectly together, they'd always done missions together. And once Tseng took Veld's place...

Reno nodded, he knew as well as Tseng did what would happen if Reno was find anywhere NEAR this assignment if it went sour. "Yes sitr."

"When do we leave, sir?" Rude asked. He wasn't going to mention that he wasn't sure how good of an idea it was for HIM to be there in the event things went SNAFU. He was, after all, married to the redhead.

"25 minutes. ..I was going to take Elena, but was not so sure that would be smart, either."

"Yes, sir," Rude said, glancing over at Reno in hopes of gauging his partner's reaction to the recent string of events.  
"And as for your involvemnt should it go bad. .. it's a lot easier to cover up your involvement than his. ..you don't have as much tyo gain by her death as he would"  
Reno appeared to be thinking more than anythng else, his face held resolve, he knew Tseng was right."

Rude nodded his agreement. "Details?" he asked, wondering just how the mission was going to go down.

"We will meet her at her home, she is about to go off-shift, and attempt to obtain the drive from her. ..you will be in disguised with a wig and contacts to hide your identity as much as possible. She may still recognize you, but you are a lot easier to hide than Reno."

A wig. Rude hated wigs. And contacts. He hated those too. He just wasn't too keen on touching his eyes, but he could do it. And for once, Rude was happy he put all his piercings in that day. Usually he just did the ears, but he had the all the holes in his ears filled, and his lower piercing.

Tseng gave that tiny-half grin. "It was Ms Lockhart that informed us of Trish's poseesion of it. Apparantly there is more reason for her keeping the boy away from Reno than just sheer cold-heartedness and the covering up of her abuse."

Rude raised an eyebrow, waiting for Tseng to continue.

"He had knowledge of her posession of said intel, and threatened to tell his father because 'He is a Turk and will make sure you can't hurt anyone.' She has an almost insane desire for revenge against those whom she feels ruined her life."

How did Reno...? "The child," Rude said softly.

Tseng nodded "He was to go undercover to try to gain more information on her father, as he was a purported terrorist, it was his first intelligence assignment. ..he was young and fairly impressionable then. She subverted him by basically seducing him, being 4 years older than him it was easy for her to do. .he got the intel and discovered we were wrong, but by then, the damage had been done. "  
Rude turned to Reno. "I didn't know."

Reno shrugs. "It was how I ended up getting the mission completed. didn't come outta it unscatched, either" He lifted up his left sleeve, there was a scar running from wrist to elbow. "She slashed me up pretty good."

Rude turned back to Tseng. "And I'm supposed to be doing pretty much the same thing?" he asked.

"I'd not ask you to seduce the woman, that will be. .. my job." His face held a distasteful expression. "You are to be my lookout"  
"Once I have her distracted, you are to do a search for the drive."

Rude nodded once, then glanced at his watch. "It's time," he said plainly.

Tseng led him to the car they would use, stepping in.

Reno turned to one of the workers, "I hope this doesn't blow up in everyone's faces."

Rude paused, nodding once to Reno before he slid into the car.

Tseng assisted Rude into his disguise when they reached the house. "There you are, keep a watch out."

The glue that held the short, curly hair on his head was already making his scalp itch. "Am I coming with you, or coming in the back?" he asked. He'd done missions like that with Tseng before, and he knew that sometimes, the older man didn't give all the details he was thinking.

"Watch outside the bedroom window, as soon as you see she is sufficiently diverted, enter through the back and obtain the mission objective."

Rude grunted and nodded once, tapping his brand new pack of cigarettes on the dash.

Tseng stepped to the door, it had been discovered she had a taste for Wutain men, "Madam Tequile's escort, ma'am. .I will be your companion for the night."

Trish looked around behind him, then frowned. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing to the tall man who exited the car this guy drove up in, lit a cigarette, then walked over to the driver's side and got back in.

"My ride, and bodyguard, as you well know it is standard procedure for companions from Madam Tequile to be guarded, especially in edge where many of us have been accosted."

"Uh huh," she said absently, squinting to try and see the other man more clearly. "He just going to sit out there the whole time? The other bodyguards were a little more... enthusiastic about being invited in."

"He's not overly eager, ma'am, he has a family, and his wife is not too happy with him already." he strides in, those eyes seem to sparkle with mischief, damn, Tseng was really laying it on thick.

"Hmph," Trish replied, closing the door behind this wonderfully exotic man. "So... what's your name?"

"Shion." It was customary for the first names only to be given, so she wouldn't ask, he knew this. He was dressed in a traditional kimono of black with burgundy leaves falling along the sides, an autumnal pattern, his hair done geisha style.

"Well, Shion," Trish said, stalking around him like she was eyeing up livestock prior to purchase. "Do you have any... specialties?" The man was attractive, that was certain, but if he couldn't perform... well... she'd have to see if she could con that bodyguard of his inside.

"light bondage, a bit of knifeplay...I know some women who are into that. ..as well as the best mouth you will find in her employ."

Trish, who had come to the door wearing only her red terrycloth robe, dropped the garment to the floor. She walked naked over to her couch, sat on it and smiled at this Shion. "Show me."

He quirked a brow. ..kneeling between her, his lips sketching the skin of her legs.

Rude, on the other hand, had finished his third cigarette when he figured it was time to see if Trish was sufficiently distracted. He slinked towards the house, keeping a watchful eye on the windows and doors of her house, as well as her neighbors houses. He caught a glance in the window and saw Tseng settled between the girl's knees and knew she was, in fact, sufficiently distracted. Rude made his way carefully towards the back door, taking out the small bundle of lock picking tools from inside his coat pocket.

Tseng inwardly was rather disgusted with what he was doing, but the mission was the mission, and this was for not only a good friend, but for the good of his husband's company as well.

A few quick twists and turns of the tumblers and Rude was inside the back door. He paused, listening for the sounds of Tseng and Trish, before he moved silently from the kitchen towards the dining room. He could only guess where that hard drive was, but he would put his faith on either the living room, which was occupied by the pair at the moment, her bedroom, or the study. He hoped Tseng would keep her incoherent long enough for him to at least finish the bedroom sweep before the pair decided to take their affections in that direction.

Tseng moved from her legs to well. ..other spots, trying to keep from throwing up as he did, even though he acted enthusiastic enough..he gave Rude a silent gesture toward the bedroom with his eyes, as if to say check there first.  
Rude silently shut the door behind him, looking around the dark room as he did so. Now, if he were a psychopathic woman with a taste for revenge, where would he put the hard drive that would destroy her baby's daddy?

"Mmm..." Trish muttered, opening her eyes and locking them on this Shion's lovely ones. "What do you say we take this into a more appropriate place?"

He nodded, lifting her into his arms then suddenly it hit him, the same thought ..he mouthed to Rude "Rennan's room."

Rude, who had opened the door and stood along the hallway wall, nodded, sliding into the study so they could go past him. The child's room was on the other side of the house.

"Don't talk much, do you?" Trish asked, rubbing herself against the man holding her suggestively.

"not much need for words in my profession, miss"  
"When that mouth can be put to so much better use?" she asked, a slight giggle in her voice.

Rude waited until Tseng had, wisely, shut the door to the bedroom before moving from the shadows of the study. He moved quickly and quietly through the house, ending up in the child's room. He looked around for something, anything out of place... There. The shoebox almost completely hidden under the bed. He pulled it out, opened it, and... jackpot.

Tseng, as soon as he noted Rude had the objective did something he knew would send her into orgasm and then likely blackout so he could get out. ..two fingers in just the right spot inside. ..

Rude slid himself from the house, shoebox tucked under his arm. As soon as he hit the porch, he stopped just long enough to light a cigarette, look around, and get back into the car.

Tseng as the woman blacked out beneath his fingers exited the house behind him. "I hope to never EVER have to do that again in my entire life."

Rude chuckled, putting the car into gear and driving away.

Tseng rinsed his mouth with some mouthwash he had on hand, spitting it out of the car window in order to eliminate the woman's taste from his mouth.

Rude raised an eyebrow and chuckled again. He was secretly glad it was Tseng and not him. True, he'd probably been a little less nauseous about it, what with being with more women than with men in his life, but with her closeness to Reno, he wasn't sure he could've been trusted. But, all that didn't matter. They had the hard drive and everything was good. Except... "Get this off my head, please, sir."

Tseng nodded, using the solution which would dissolve the glue, freeing it from the disguise.

Rude smiled. Finally, his head could breathe. He didn't know how he handled having actual hair on his head when he was a kid. However, the way the glue pulled, he could tell he'd need to shave his head again soon.

Tseng picked up his phone, caling Rufus. "Mission completed sir."

"Good work, Tseng," Rufus said, his tone indicating just how appreciative he was of his lover. "And Rude?" he asked.

"Both of us are unharmed sir, unless you count th etaste in my mouth. ..she is unharmed and trussed up like a prize buck, waiting on the authorities."

"Taste, Tseng?" Rufus asked. He really didn't have to ask, he knew, but still...

"I had to employ. .less than pleasent methods of distraction"  
"Were you not already the highest paid of my loyal Turks, I would give you a raise, Tseng," Rufus said with a laugh, then his tone dropped into a sultry purr. "I do, however, have a different sort of raise, if you're interested..."

"Always sir...now. .as long as none of her relatives choose to sue for custody, this case should be mostly cut and dry for Reno, should it not?"

Rufus' dismayed sigh echoed over the line. "Unfortunately, I was only able to bury Rude's most recent assault charge. Seems Mr. Miller wasn't as buyable as I originally thought."

"He would ruin another man's life, one he barely knows, over this? I guess I simply do not understand some people."

"According to the man I sent there, Mr. Miller appears to still hold a flame for our dear Rudolph," Rufus replied. "And Mr. Miller mentioned that he would do anything to get him back." Rufus paused, then added, "And were he to mysteriously disappear, it could be overly suspicious."

Tseng sighed. "And he doesn't care for Reno because Reno succeeded where he failed. ..in getting Rude to cease his violent ways and become what Josh wanted for himself in the first place. Though of course the fact that it happened 10 years ago could play in our favor, as could the fact that Rude has attended counseling since then. ..and that there have been no incidents since that time."

"Exactly," Rufus replied. "Now, rendezvous with Reno and return to our current base of operations. I was a debriefing and some alone time within the hour."

"Yes sir."

"Sir?" Rude asked, glancing away from the road for a moment to look at Tseng.

"Josh could not be bought. ..he wants you back, and will use any means he can to acheive it. . .even ruining Reno's chances of ever seeing his son again."

Rude just sighed and shook his head. Josh was the obsessive type, which was another reason he probably stayed with the boy longer than he should have.

"now, if we could somehow prove he was not mentally fit his testimony would not mean very much."

"Easy," Rude replied. He didn't know a shrink out there that would call Josh totally sane. Sure, part of it was Rude's fault, but if that part of it could be avoided.  
"Then we have Reno's attorney request a psych profile prior to him testifying. .and that hurdle will be cleared."

Rude nodded. He sincerely hoped it would be that easy.

"I doubt that one's sanity as well."he jerked a thumb back toward Trish's house.

Rude snorted and laughed. He pulled up to the building they had left from to see Reeve standing there between Reno and Trish's current fucktoy.

"She fucking attacked me!"

"You're trying to take her fucking kid away from her!" The man screamed back.

"He's mine, too, bastard, and she's BEATING him!"

"Then why haven't you tried to see him in the past five years? I've only been there two, but in those two you didn't even try to fucking call! What the fuck kind of father are you"  
"Because she would have destroyed not only my life, but my boss's life if I had called! If it had come out then, his father would have KILLED him! even if we weren't anymore! She held that shit over my head to keep him away from me"  
"I was beaten the first 11 years of my life. . I'll be DAMNED if my son is going to suffer like I did!"

"I can see where the brat gets his temper from!" Came the man's response. "And what the fuck kind of father can some assassin be? Answer that!"

"Sure as fuck better than your damn girlfriend is, I don't hit kids"  
"Gentlmen, cease this useless bickering. ..you sir, are defending a demon, whether you realize it or not. That woman was bent on destroying everything we have tried to rebuild here, simply because we did our job of protecting our interests, and mayhap even hundreds of lives. ..her father was treated fairly while in our custody, and released when it was discovered we had the wrong man." Tseng held up the hard drive they had gotten from Trish's home while saying this.

"Who the fuck cares about that?" The man snorted. "All I care about is this piece of shit wants to take away my girlfriend's kid just because he's got some kind of homo grudge against her!"

"He has no grudge, except a desire to protect his child. ...it came from the child's very own mouth."

Suddenly, one would see a little redhaired boy clutching Tifa's hand. "Papa! I wanna go to papa! Let go let go!"

Rude glanced over and GROANED. Why, oh why, did that woman have to wear such low cut tops with what she had... on top.

Rennan suddenly ripped free of Tiifa's grasp, flinging his arms around Reno's legs. "I don't wanna go back to mama. ..mama's mean. ..she always hits me. .. she doesn't want people to know about her, and what she does!"

"Rennan!" Tifa exclaimed, jogging over to the men standing there.

Rude's eyes were fixed on the way Tifa's upper body moved while she ran. What? He was a man... and it's only human to look.

"Kid doesn't know what he's talking about," Trish's man of the moment tossed in. "Confuses discipline with abuse."

Reno lifted up the shirt to show the tiny scar where his shoulder had been dislocated numerous times, as well as the mottled bruises that had turned a sickly yellow. "You call THIS discipline? You got a pretty sick mind."

"Spare the rod..." The man tossed back.

Reno stormed over to him now, but kept his tone even."You do NOT use that shit with me. ..you use it in fronta Rufus you're liable to get shot. There are so many better ways of disciplining a child than to beat them black and blue...if you want to win this case, I suggest you use them. .. by the way. ..your girlfriend is currently in jail. ..under suspicion of espionage."

"Fuck this shit," the man said, turning and walking away. He was just fucking that Trish bitch anyway. He would only stick up for her so far.

Reno trembled in fury, but he picked up his son, reassuring him gently.  
"Papa?" Rennan asked innocently. "What does 'fuck this shit' mean?"

"Means he's not gonna do anything else with this whole mess. ..your mama's on her own. by the way, those are grown up words, kiddo."

"But I wanna be a grown up just like you!" Rennan whined.

"someday, Rennan, but for now enjoy being a kid."

The little redhead just pouted.

"He's got quite the mouth on him, you know," Tifa said with a small smile. "And he's too cute. Makes it hard to tell him 'no' sometimes..."

Reno chuckled "I'm sure he does, he is MY son you know."

"Never would've guessed," Tifa laughed, then turned to Rude. "Are you okay with this?" she asked quietly, trying to make sure Rennan didn't hear them.

Rude nodded once. "I'm... getting use to it. I think. Slowly."

Tifa answered him with a smile. "Good... because, you know, being the foster parent, I get the pleasure," and pleasure was said with a roll to her eyes, "of testifying on his mental and emotional state. And I couldn't give an honest recommendation of you two if I knew you weren't for it."

"You mean it, Tifa? You're going to bat for us?"

"My professional opinion?" She asked. "You two need to work some things out." Tifa paused. "However, you've never really been given a chance with him, and what little time you've had, you've done good by him. I can't honestly testify against you." She paused again, a tiny, almost weary smile on her face. "Besides, I can't take another one without some help"  
Reno set Rennan down and literally THREW his arms around the buxom woman "Thanks, Tifa, really.. .you have NO idea how much this means."

"I'm not doing it for you," she said with a smile. "I'm doing it because I think it's what's best for him." She nodded at Rennan, who had inched closer to Rude.

"Papa Rude, you gonna be happy?" the child's innocent green eyes pinned those behind the sunglasses.

Rude had to think for a moment, but he grunted and nodded, opening the hand he held at his side for the child to take.

Rennan smiled. holding his arms out for a hug, before saying "Then I'm gonna be happy too."

Rude smiled as the boy latched onto his legs. He placed his hands on Rennan's shoulders, a kind of makeshift hug. He could do this. He could. And Tifa was right; the boy was obnoxiously cute.

"I gotsta go back with Tifa for now.. ." he looked a little sad. "I wanna come home. ..soon."

"I know," Rude said, patting the mop of red hair.

Reno kissed the top of his head before they left.

Tifa took Rennan's offered hand, waved to the two men, and they were off.

He called Berry. "I think we might want to move this up, if possible. ..we have. ..new developemennts."

"Oh? What new developments?" The woman asked. She was not very ecstatic about being interrupted from her late lunch.

Reno relayed to her everything he'd discovered...including the boyfriend who had been complicitous in the abuse...the fact that she hired male prostitutes on the weekends. ..all of it.

"Still doesn't make this open and shut," Ms. Berry said around a mouth full of salad.

"I just want this over with as little trauma as possible for my kid. ..He's also made it clear where he wants ta be..." He sighed, this whole thing had him on edge.

"How old is the child again?" she asked.

"5. .maybe not pree-teen, but certainly old enough to knoe being hit from being treated decent."

"The courts usually don't take the testimony of a child before the age of 12," Ms. Berry stated, again around a bite of salad. "However, the child's wishes will be heard."

Reno sighed. "Not that it's likely to matter soon. ..she's been arrested for espionage. .if she's convicted she'll be in for a LONG time."

"There is no such thing as a sure thing," Ms. Berry said quietly, then bluntly stated. "Now, if there is nothing more..."

"nothin'. ..thanks .." he hung up. ..watching where Rennan had gone. ..he just wanted this over.

Rude just turned to Tseng. "Further instructions, sir?" he asked. He wanted to know if he could take the rest of the day off with Reno, or if his presense was required elsewhere.

"You may go home now, just take care, be cautious. ..there were reports of a redhead with a severe limp and two attendants in town from one of the local shop owners."

Rude frowned. There was no reason for Josh to show up, and he was the only redhead who could possibly be considered to have a limp that he knew.

"I think I know why he's here. ..he tries anything. ..he's dead."

Rude sighed. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. "Reno," he said, tone warning his partner that it was his thing to deal with, not Reno's.

"He's not gonna touch you, that's final, Rude. ..not gonna happen. ..you an' I both know what he'd do if he thought he'd get away with it. .. he's as fucked in the head as Trish."

"No, he's not going to touch me, and I'm not going to see him," Rude's tone was short. "But if we happen to be in the same place as him, I'm not going to be rude."

Reno just sighed, striding back toward their condo. "Shit, if it ain't my past, it's yours. ..he might be here ta testify, but I doubt it. ..stupid freak. ..why the HELL do we always end up with the fuckin' stalkers?"

Rude shrugged, then made the snarky comment that crossed his mind before his mental filter had time to suppress it. "Guess that's what happens when you're great in bed." He paused, even going so far as to stop walking as his face grew hot.

Reno chuckled. "Yeah. ..guess so."

"Should probably stay in tonight, just to not tempt fate," Rude said as they rounded the corner of their building.

"Yeah. . .you're probably right, fate hates our guts as it is without tempting her."

When they reached the building, Rude held the door open for Reno, and his eyes caught a brief flash of similarly red hair from the corner of his eye, but as soon as he tried to focus on it, it was gone. He kept his mouth shut, certain Reno hadn't seen it, considering the way he was facing. It was also probably in his best interest to avoid riling the redhead up.

Reno headed up, his gut suddenly clenching in a "something's wrong" way. ..but he didn't speak up. . .Rude would likely think he was nuts.

They took the stairs at Rude's insistence. What better way to suppliment the gym routine?

Reno suddenly spotted in front of their door...someone who looked just like him, causing him to gasp in shock. "You. .." just as a gun was pressed to the side of his head..

"I..." Josh said carefully. "... am claiming what is mine."

Rude frowned, but showed no other emotion regarding the situation. His head was racing, trying to think of the best way to make sure Reno's brains didn't end up splattered on the wall. There were some things even a Life spell couldn't cure...

"Bastard.. ." he too was trying to think. .the fear sweat filling Josh's nostrils. ..when for the third time in his partnership his limit break was triggered. ..rage and terror. .." You. ..arenot going to take away from me what I spent 6 fucking years building. .." his hands settled on Joshe's arms. ..the electricity seeping through them. ..though the electricity caused his muscles to constrict. ..pulling the trigger, he ducked just in time to keep from having his brains splattered agaisnt the wall, but he was deafened by the report of the gun. ..and it had been fairly low-power, so he knew it wouldn't be long before the fucker got up again.

Rude could only look down as a blossom of red spread over his white shirt.

Josh, fighting off the electric current running through him, cried and reached out towards Rude. "Rudy! No!"

"Rude, oh shit. ..oh, shit. ..stay away from him, just stay the fuck away from him"  
Rude coughed once, a trail of crimson escaping the corner of his mouth. His eyes were wide, visable even behind the ever present sunglasses. He took a shuddering breath before he collapsed backwards.

Josh cried out again, scrambling across the floor, grabbing and pulling on Reno's legs in an effort to get closer to Rude faster. "Rudy! Oh my god, Rudy! Rudy"  
Reno was there with his phone, calling the paramedics. "Come on, hang on, aibou. ..their on the way. .please. ."

Rude's eyes were quickly getting glassy, even as he struggled to breath, the sound wet as he tried.

"Get away from him!" Josh shouted, finding his terror's strength as he managed to muster enough force to push Reno down the hallway. He leaned over Rude, fumbling in his off white jacket for the potion he always kept with him. He tilted the liquid into Rude's mouth, letting him drink a few gulps before he tore open the man's shirt to pour the rest of it directly over the wound.

Reno stalked back "Thanks. ..but you. ..stay out of my life. ..stay out of his,. .."He decked Josh, giving him enough of a shock to knock his ass out. .."by the way, there's a reason not to heal someone like that. .. when you do, and the bullet's still in, you can fucking hurt them worse." he holds onto Rude until the paramedics get there, lifting him onto the stretcher.

Rude tried, he really did, to keep his eyes open, but the pain was just too much. Even that wash of potion didn't help dull it. He turned his head and coughed again, spitting out more blood. 


	40. Chapter 40

Reno was asked if he wanted to ride, to which he nodded, then he was calling Elena..his mind was wild with so many thoughts and emotions, to lose son, then nearly lose husband in one day. ..it would break most lesser folk.

"He-hello?" Elena asked, her tone indicating that she'd been woken up.

"Laney. .J-Josh was here. ..he. ..he shot Rude..." his voice was cracking. .." 'm'sorry if I woke you, but. ." and he broke off, he'd been hyperventilating almost since it happened.

One could almost hear Elena shaking the sleepiness from her person. "What? Rude's been shot?"

"I'm in the ambulance with him now. .the cops picked up Josh, but fuck. .." again that cracking, almost whispery voice.

"How's he doing?" she asked carefully.

"Not good, Laney. .." He was doing his damndest to keep his voice even, clutching Rude's hand in his, trying to keep it from shaking and failing.

"How 'not good', Reno?" She wanted -- no, needed -- specifics.

"It's a chest wound, Laney, he was bleeding from the mouth afterward. ..breath all rattly. .." He was trying to compose himself, to put on the Turk front, but it was so very difficult when that attachment was there, and so strong.

"Fuck!" The normally calm, has an answer to everything Elena was too overcome with the realization of just how bad it was to censor herself. "Which hospital?"

Reno gave her the directions before asking her to call Rufus and hanging up, still clutching that still hand in his..."Hang on, we're almost there. ..I'm not leavin'. .."

There was a shrill noise as Rude's eyes rolled back into his head.

"Sir! I need you to move!" The paramedic shouted in the small space, quickly checking Rude's vitals then beginning chest compressions.

Reno moved, into the corner, curling his knees into his chest, those green eyes frightened. .. "Please. ..don't you dare fucking leave me. ..don't you dare. ..I need you!"

The paramedic swore as they pulled up to the emergency room doors. He turned to Reno. "Sir, I'm going to need you to get as far out of the way as you can the second those doors open. Understand?"

Reno nodded, his face was pale, he looked as if he was on the verge of passing out from shock himself, but he composed himself. ..stepping out of the way as the doors opened. ..it wasn't until they took Rude in that he sank against the wall. ..

Elena had arrived about 10 minutes later, nearly running into the emergency room. "Reno!" she called, glancing around furiously for the redhead.

Reno was sitting against the wall outside the trauma room, shaking nearly uncontrollably, in complete shock, waiting on news. "He coded on the way in. .." And he lowered his head to his knees. "'smy fault. ..I shocked him. ..he had that fucking gun to my head and I shocked him to keep from getting my head blown off. ..an' that's when it happened."

Elena frowned as she mentally played out how the situation must have went. She knelt between Reno's knees, grasping his chin to make him look at her. "It's not your fault," she said plainly.

Reno melted into her, he was shaking like a leaf, he'd not even been this terrified during the fire when he'd thought he'd lost Rude to the flames.

There was a tiny wince as she felt something like a tiny, almost impercievable... almost like a menstural cramp. She ignored it, though, in favour of soothing words in Reno's ear. "He'll be fine... He's been shot before, remember?"

"He's never died on the way in. ..you ok, Laney."

"I'm fine." Elena knew that whatever it was with her, it wasn't nearly as important and keeping Reno's spirits up. "Rude's a strong man, you know that, and he's got a strong desire to live. He's not going to give up without one hell of a fight."

Reno looked up as a doctor approached, "Please. ..tell me he made it through. . .please. .." his eyes showed an almost fear of hoping.

"He survived the surgery to remove the bullet," The doctor said carefully. "However, he's still in critical condition. The potions we tried to speed up the healing weren't taking as well as we'd hoped. Seems there's even a limit to how well the potion-enhanced body can recover."

"Can I see him?" He stood up, trying to not show how shaky he was.

The doctor's sigh had a touch of pity to it. "No more than ten minutes. And he's unconscious. I'd prefer you not to wake him."

Reno nodded. "Thanks.." He followed him back, his belly was flp flopping, he was fighting the urge to throw up.

Elena went with him, fully intending to stay in the hallway with that look the doctor gave her.

Reno went in, taking Rude's hand whispering an apology. .." I love you. .you better make it through this, or I'm gonna be right behind you and kicking your ass from one end of the lifestream to the other for leaving me. ..I can't live without you, big guy. . .just can't."

The bald man gave no response, paled skin looking for all the world like he'd already passed on to the Lifestream. The only indication that he was alive was the fact that he was breathing on his own, for the most part.

Reno then saw another flash of red in the hallway, and gave Elena a looko that said "don't let him leave. or in here." he bent down, giving Rude a kiss on his forehead. "I'll be right back, love."

Elena watched the limping redhead go to the nurses' station, inquiring about the status of one Rudy Urar. She unconsciously placed a hand on her lower abdomen as she listened to him speak.

Reno stormed after him. "Number one, how the HELL did you make bail, number 2, how DARE you show your fucking face here looking for my husband after what you did?"

"I don't need to answer to you," came Josh's scathing words as he turned back towards the nurse on duty. "What is his condition, please?"

"He damn near died because of you, and they don't have to tell YOU shit. ..he's not yours anymore.

Reno called one of the security people. "I want him to be kept away from my husband, please."

When the orderly came to the station, he took one look at the two redheads and said, "If you two can't play nice, neither of you will stay in here." His tone was the same that Rude would take when he was not in the mood to be questioned.

"He was the one responsible for my husband being in the condition he is, I believe as I am the one responsible for his care, I have a say in who sees him, am I correct?"

"Keep disturbing the other patients with your noise and it won't matter who you are," the orderly threatened. He was used to dealing with overly hysterical loved ones of patients, and he knew that most times, a little tough love helped more than a kind smile.

"Listen, I'm willing to tone it down a notch, just keep THAT." he gestured at Josh "Away from Rude. ..It's all I ask. ..he shot my husband and partner, after holding a gun to my head I might add, and I don't want him to see him, simple as that."

"We're not the police," The orderly said calmly. He had a very Rude-like demeanor. "So we can't say who did what. We're just here to heal." He paused, looking over at Josh. "Mr. Urar is in critical condition, but if he makes it through the night, he'll probably be upgraded to serious, but stable."

"Thank you," Josh whispered, then glared at Reno before turning on his heel and walking away.

Reno stepped outside to call Rude's family. "come on, one of you answer.."

"This better be a fucking hot blonde with huge tits..." Eric mumbled into the phone. Ah, the wonders of the time zone.

"Eric, you're brother's been shot. ..Josh showed his bitch ass up.. .if you'd be so damn kind as to inform everyone else it'd be very nice.

Eric was slow to come to coherency. "This isn't a hot blonde with huge tits, is it?" he asked, pausing for a moment before it finally sank in. "What? Sam's been shot? He's right fucking here..."

"NO, Rude.. tell Sam. ..and the rest of your damn family, I'm not in the mood for bullshit right now, just know I'm probably going to kick Josh Miller's ass, whether Rude wants me to or not." He was. ..pissed and terrified beyond words were the gist of it.

"Yeah, yeah, call me when you get Miller trussed up like a pig. I got a little something for that twerp..." Eric said, then hung up and went directly back to sleep. It was, after all, rather early in the morning there.

Reno went back inside, heading back to see his husband, sitting next to him, holding his hand. "I'm gonna kick his ass, yo. ..you can chew me out for it later ...I love you." before stepping back out, chasing Josh down, finding him half-way down the street he whirls him around. "You. ..are gonna get your ass whooped."

"You would hit a cripple?" Josh challenged.

"One who put a gun to my head and damn near killed the man I love. ..damn straight."

"Go ahead, be just like him," Josh taunted. "Beat me, hit me until I bleed then fuck me raw, just like he used to." Not the most sane one of the bunch, that Joshua Miller.

Reno stepped in to deliver the first punch. ..before he felt a sharp pain under his ribs...looking down in shock then hearing a scream...a familiar voice. saying "don't hurt my papa anymore!" before crumpling to the ground, watching the silver blade sliding out of him as he fell. "bastard. ."

"If I can't have him," Josh whispered, breath hot as he slid his cheek against Reno's face. "You can't have him either." With that, he turned away, sliding into the shadows far easier than it should have been for a man with such a pronounced limp.

Reno coughs. ..choking on his own blood. ..doing his damndest to crawl for a spot where he'd be seen. ..calling for help, but his voice is little more than a whisper...he knew he was hurt, and he knew it was bad. .his eyelids growing heavy as he waited for the paramedics to get there.

"Denzel?" Tifa's voice floated through the air. "Rennan? Where did you two run off to?"

Rennan yells out "Tifa! Papa's hurt!"

Tifa starts walking towards Rennan's voice, waving over Denzel, who had just come from the candy store across the street. "Rennan? Where are you?"

"Over here, Tifa. .." Rennan sits next to Reno, the older redhead's blood on his hands, the child looks shellshocked. ..he had wiitnessed the entire altercation.

Tifa looked down around the corner, instantly taking in the blood on the two redheads. "My god!" she yelled, then turned to Denzel. "Get me some hi-potions from that item shop there. Hurry!" She tossed a handful of gil to the older boy who nodded and did as he was told.

Reno's eyes rolled back. ..skin growing even paler as blood bubbled at his lips. .."Tell Rennan and Rude I love 'em. ." were his last words before passing out.

Denzel returned quickly, dropping to his knees as he handed Tifa the hi-potions. "Here," he said. Unspoken was his request to let him help.

"Get Rennan out of here," Tifa told the boy. "I'm counting on you to make sure he stays safe."

"No, I wanna stay! Bad man hurt my papa!"

"Come on, Rennan," The older boy said, taking the young redhead's hand and gently pulling him towards the sidewalk. "Tifa'll help him. I promise."

"I wanna catch that man. ...he hurt papa. .."

"There's nothing you can do right now," Denzel protested, for once not looking to Tifa for support. Was the boy finally beginning to step into his own? "Come on. We gotta go to the hospital. That's where Tifa's taking your dad."

Rennan nodded. ..he didn't know about Rude yet, either.

Smiling gently, Denzel took a better grip on Rennan's hand before he led him up the block towards the hospital.

Reno's ears held white noise as they wheeled him inside. ..in his delirium he started fighting. "You're hurting me!"

As the orderlies held him down, a trauma nurse shouted, "Sedate him"  
As the sedative hit his eyes closed...the last thing he saw was his son's frightened face as he clutched Denzel's hand.

"Ma'am are you this man's wife?" the nurse asked. She'd just come on shift and knew, just knew, it was going to be a long day.

Rennan looked up at the nurse. "Papa's hurt. ..where's Papa Rude, he should be here.. ."

The nurse crouched down, offering a smile to the little boy. "Your papa will be just fine," she said before looking up at Tifa. "Who is this 'papa Rude' he's asking about?"

"Where IS Rude?" she wondered outloud.

Rennan walked down, and when he saw where Reno was being taken he followed.. .then ran back to Tifa. ..his eyes tearing. "Papa Rude's hurt, too. .." The two of course had been roomed together.

Tifa turned to Denzel. "Denzel, take him home. He doesn't need to see this," she said.

The elder boy nodded, reaching for Rennan's hand.

"I don't wanna go!" He yelled as Denzel dragged him out.

Tifa just shook her head, moving towards the nurses' station. "Could I get the condition of Reno Tarshill and Rude Urar?" she asked.

"They are both in serious condiitn at the moment, Mr Urar was just upgraded from critical no more than 5 minutes ago. ..we are awaiting Mr Tarshil to be stabalized enough to be taken into surgery, where he will have his lung and right ventricle repaired due to damage from the knife. If you had not applied those hi potions in a timely manner he would have bled out on the way here. He owes you his life."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Tifa mumbled. She wrote her mobile number down on a piece of paper. "Please keep me informed if their conditions change. I'm currently fostering their child, and I'm sure he'd like to be kept up to date." With that, she left.

When Reno finally awakened he had yet another scar across his chest to add to the one Loz had given him...he looked over to see Rude looking less pale, more himself, and wondered just how many days he'd lost.

"I see you're finally awake," the doctor said from the doorway. She smiled softly in the dim light. "He looks better, doesn't he?"

"Yeah...what day is it?"

"Thursday evening. You have been out for three days," she answered, her tone almost sad.  
"Thursday. ..shit. ..supposed to meet the attorney tomorrow for the custody hearing. .."

"You're not going anywhere," the doctor replied. "At least not for another few days."

"What happened. ..I'm gonna lose my kid if I don't make the hearing. ..and why is it you sound. .like something happened?"

She nodded towards the prone figure of Rude. "He crashed against shortly after you were admitted. He was clinically dead for a minute, and... he hasn't woken up yet. We're afraid there might have been some brain damage..." Her voice trailed off, almost as if she were loathe to tell the redhead the whole story.

"Talk to me, please. ."

He struggled out of bed, almost floored by the pain, but he didn't care. ..he had to get to his partner. "You better come back to me. .. whole and sane. ..I mean it.. .I need you. .."

The doctor's gaze was firmly on the floor. "If he doesn't show any signs of improvement by the end of the weekend..." she took a deep breath. This was her least favourite part of the job. "We'll need to make arrangements for either his continued care or..."

Reno knelt next to the bed. ..his eyes tearing.. ."Don't you dare fucking leave me. ..don't you dare. .I can't live without you. .. Please. .please wake up. ..please. .." He kissed his mouth fervently. ...his eyes beginning to overflow.

"Sir, please..." her voice was soft as she spoke and took a step forward. "I'm... we're not entirely sure he can even hear you."

"I know he can. .. I have faith in him dammit, you better too. .." He kept kissing those lips...wrapping his arms around his husband, his ivs ripping out but he didn't care.. .he needed Rude to wake up. ..he needed Rude with him.

The doctor was quick with a Sleep spell, the power coming from the tiny materia stone in her ring. She preferred the spell to actual sedatives anyway. With a nod to the orderly that had appeared at the door, she set about replacing Reno's IVs and helping move him back to the bed.

"You know he's not going to be happy about being sleeped. .he really loves him."

"I know," she replied. "But I can't risk him jepordizing both his and Mr. Urar's health."

Reno when he finally woke up it was Friday morning. ..he saw sharp jawline and pulled back hair. ..his vision was blurred. "I'm guessing the boss called you. .."

"Indeed," Tseng replied, moving to no longer lean over Reno.

"Did someone call Ms Berry? She's gonna think. ..Gods, don't even know what she's gonna think."

"She will be arriving this afternoon around 4," Tseng replied, absently straightening an already straight cuff.

"An.. " he was almost afraid to ask, he gulped. "How's he. "  
"They took him off all artificial machines," Tseng said carefully. "He's completely breathing on his own. However..."

"They're afraid. ..he won't be himself. ..shit. .."

"Exactly." It hurt Tseng far more than he let on to say that.

Reno turned away. ."He's gotta. ..he's just gotta. ..shit. .." He was distressed. ..still terrified, and Tseng would see it clearly. "Think about how you'd feel if it were the boss laying there..."

"I understand your pain," Tseng said carefully. With Reno, things like that were always dangerous ground. "However, you must remember what Rude would want you to do. Getting yourself worked up to the point of re-injuring yourself would be completely counterproductive. You need to let yourself heal so you can help him heal."

"Sometimes. ..I wonder why I keep going with this shit. .." He slapped his hand across his eyes, mentally begging Rude to wake up. .to turn those brown eyes his way and tell him everything was allright.

A groan was heard from the bed across the room, but it was cut off just as quickly as it started.

"Come on, come on, you can do it. ..I got faith in you. ..an' I love you. ..come back ta me. ..please."

He licked his lips, mouth dry. He tried to speak a single word, but nothing came out.

Tseng spun on his heels instantly, making a beeline for the nurses' station.

Reno is on his feet, pulling himself next to Rude's bed, kissing him firmly. "You better be you, yo. .."

He opened his eyes, turning his head away from the redhead he saw over him. "Where?" he managed.

"Hospital. .Josh messed you up. ." Then it suddenly hits. .""Rude. ..no baby no. ..you better remember. ..I need you. .." He looked to Tseng with a helpless look. ..eyes dry. ..but so much hurt in them. .."Fuck, haven't we suffered enough?"

"Rudolph," Tseng said sharply.

His eyes snapped instantly to the man who spoke. "Sir?" he said, then paused, face telling how he wasn't entirely sure why he said what he did.

Reno strode outside, picking up Rude's bloodstained cigaratte pack, iv and all. ..he was . ..well upset wasn't the word for it.."I need a fucking cigarette, if the nurse gives me a problem I'm gonna fuckin' beat her."

"Reno," Tseng's voice was just as sharp as he turned to the walking Reno. "Decorum befitting your station." It was an order.

Rudolph just frowned. Who were these people, and why was the redhead pitching such a fit?  
M "Fuck decorum, and right now I just need a damn smoke. . .I'll be outside."

The doctor appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Urar!" she exclaimed, jogging quickly over to his bedside. "You're awake!" She turned to Tseng. "When...?" she was so excited she couldn't put all her thoughts into words just yet. And to think, she'd been ready to come in and begin the discussions on long term care for the man.

Reno turned around as he was heading out "Five minutes ago. ..now if you'll excuse me a second"  
"He's amnesiac at the moment, and his husband's just a shade upset."

Reno's ring flashes in the light from the doorway as he walks out, and Rude would note he wore an identical one. ..and likely wonder why.

The doctor frowned. "I'll be the judge of that." She walked around the bed and took Rude's vitals, then nodded towards Tseng. "If you'll give us a few moments, please."

Rudolph's frown deepened. Who were they to wear matching rings? Best friends? Certainly not... THAT...

Tseng notes the expression and nods. "Yes, that...but I suppose, the rest will come back in time."

Rudolph blinked a few times, then carefully slipped the ring from his finger, holding it up and inspecting it in the light.

Reno sat outside the main door, smoking a cigarette, leaning against the door, he knew he probably SHOULDN'T be smoking, but right now his heart was racing at an unhealthy clip for reasons that had nothing to do with nicotine.. .he held up his hand in a wave at the blond that passed by, only recognizing the hair color, but not sure which one it was. ..Elena and Rufus were the only two he knew with hair that color.

"Good to see you're back to your usual habits," Rufus said casually, flipping back his hair before he spoke.

"I'm not in the besta moods at the moment. ..fucking asshole Josh, sure as fuck hope someone caught him."

"Awake or dead?" Rufus asked, cutting right to the chase as his whole body stiffened, preparing for the worst.

"Awake. ..but amnesiac. ..an that ain't got me happy, either. .. shit. ..can't any of us catch a damn break?"

"Mr. Tarshill?" A quiet voice called from the door.

"Yeah, comin'. ." He crushed the butt out on the sidewalk, dragging the iv rack with him, shivering at a sudden breeze that blew underneath the robe as he strode in.

The doctor stood just inside the doorway. "I'm sure you'd like to hear my prognosis now as opposed to later, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered you," she said evenly.

"Shoot. ..and if it's hopeless, make it literal." My, wasn't he in a fatalistic mood?

"I thought you wanted me to have a little faith," she said, a little snappy with being snapped at. "Come with me," she added, leading them into an examination room. She put up a scan of Rude's brain. "This is Mr. Urar's brain at the time he was resucitated. Please note the black areas. Those areas, as far as we know, are associated with long term memory. Now," she put up another scan next to it. "This is the scan I just completed. Can you see how the black areas are slowly shrinking?" She turned to look at Reno. "He is in excellent physical condition, and I have reason to believe that, eventually, he will make a full recovery. However, this condition, retrograde amnesia, means that he is unable to access his memories of everything that happened prior to his waking up. Also, considering his response to you, Mr. Xian, I could be lead to believe he also has a touch of source amnesia, which means he still has access to his... skills as a Turk, he just isn't aware of how he got them."

Reno just sighed. ..everything. .all of ther relationship. ..the progress they'd made. ..gone. ..he leaned against the wall. .."Gotta start over. ..but will he even still want me. ..still want THIS. ..Gods, I just don't know."

"You won him over once..." the doctor said, taking down and filing the scans in the folder she held. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish scheduling a few tests for Mr. Urar. I want him under constant supervision for at least a few days, until we can determine his recovery rate."

Reno starts whistling a tune, then humming. ..the words whispered. ..just a snippet of a song he'd known a long time ago before heading back in, as painful as it was to do. ..to walk back in there to someone he loved so much that didn't remember him. ..didn't remember everything they'd shared.

Rudolph nodded in greeting to the redhead, then went back to the files spread out on his lap on the bed.

Elena stood from the chair she was sitting on and walked slowly towards Reno. "Doctor said I could give him his files. Might help."

"Yeah. .." He began humming the concerto he had written, not sure why, just idly humming. ..he raked his fingers through his hair, his hands still shaky.

Rudolph frowned. "I've heard that before." He wasn't sure where, he wasn't sure of anything else other than he'd heard that before.

"I wrote it.. .the morning after we moved into our new place. ..you gave me Hell about buying the piano I wrote it for, but you did buy it. . .I was so damn happy..."

"You must be very talented," Rudolph said softly.

"Mama was a pianist. .was.." he whispered that last part out. "Maybe...I'll take you to meet her one day."

He just nodded, unsure what else to do. "I'm sorry... I get the feeling we were really close... but... I can't remember your name."

"Reno.. and yeah. ..we are. ..very close." images of all of the times they'd made love danced through his head and he closed his eyes, silently cursing Josh again for the destruction of something so damn precious to him.

Rudolph frowned. "No, not Reno... Your name starts with... with a 'J'... Dammit, why can't I remember?"

"No, I'm not Josh. .." he cursed softly.

"Josh! Yeah, that's it!" There was a tiny smile at the corner of his lips... followed directly by a frown. "Your hair's longer, though."

Reno found the photos of his own years as Rude's partner in the records. ..showing him the photos. ..."Besides, Josh is crazier than me."

"You're better looking," he said, then instantly blushed, looking away. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."

"Hey, 'sokay. ..I don't mind a damn thing you say. ..we were..Hell, I remember our wedding. ..you had your jaw in the floor when you saw this" Is actually thanking God Elena took photos now. ..he shows him the photo of Rufus swallowing Tseng's face "I thought you were going to punch a hole in the floor with it."

He felt he could trust this redhead, this Reno, but he was finding it so hard to believe he would actually get married. He scooted a tiny bit away at the feel of Reno's hand on his thigh. "Sorry," he said, averting his eyes.

"I won't hurt you, yo. ..an' the visit to your folks. ..your little brother pissed me off so bad. ..I remember sticking my shock stick in his mouth an' your mom tanning my hide. ..that was some funny shit"  
Then his robe shifted down. ..showing the beginning of the tattoo on his back, the blue ink less than a week old. ..color gotten the day they'd fought over Rennan. ..when he'd come back. ..damn, that had been fantastic. ..

"Momma," Rudolph said softly, touching the picture of the older woman whose smile could have lit a thousand rooms.

"Yeah. ..she made me feel so welcome. .." He shifts, and a bit more of that blue inking shows. ..images of Rude's skilled fingers dancing over it running across his brain. ..and his hands have to cross in front of his crotch. ..no, this was NOT the time for a damn hard on.

He paused, looking over at this Reno person a little strangely. "Do I... make you uncomfortable?" he asked bluntly.  
M "Nah. ..just. ..memories at the wrong time. .." and when he released his shielding, the tenting in the robe was obvious. "THIS is what you do ta me. ..an' parta why I love you so much. ..aside from the fact that you were always there when I needed someone to lean on. . .or kick my ass back inta gear when I got too down or keep me from bein' an idiot when all I wanted was ta hurt myself. ..I owe you my life a thousand times over, yo."

Rudolph's eyes widened as his face turned red as Reno's hair. "I do that?" he asked, voice small.

"That. ..and a hella lot more. . ." He turns his back for a moment, exposing the entire back section of the tattoo, hoping it would stir. ..something..

"Didn't that... hurt? A lot?" he asked softly, a single finger tracing the air just millimeters away from the redhead's skin.

"Yeah...but what you did. ..afterward. ..felt absolutely fantastic. ..besides. ..I'm a bita masochist, always have been."

"What..." he gulped. "... what did I do?"

"I'll show you when we're outta here." He grinned at that one, then waggled his eyes at Elena.

Rudolph's eyes were as wide as saucers as he slid just a little further away from the redhead.

"Reno..." Elena sighed as she smiled. "Give him some time. He probably needs it before you go molesting him in someone's office or something."

"Hey, I'm kiddin', sheesh. Besides, I'm married to him, I can molest him wherever I want. ...except the boss's desk, don't think Rufus-sama would like that much."

He didn't feel very married, but then again, he didn't feel really... anything. For any of those people. "Rufus... ShinRa?" he asked. He'd read about how he was employed by a ShinRa in his files.

"Yeah, the four of us an' him are all pretty tight knit...shit. ..who's been feeding Livewire while I've been in here?"

Elena raised her hand, showing a few of the shallow scratches left on her arm. "Your cat is a pain in the ass when he's hungry."

"Yeah. ..tell me about it." and he blushed slightly remembering how he'd gotten the cat.

Rudolph frowned. "Cat"  
"Yeah, cuahl. .." and he slowly, haltingly, retold the night at Corneo's. ..all of it, holding nothing back. ..still hoping to trigger. ..something, some image, some memory. ..anything.

He shuddered, seeming to pull in on himself just a little. "Fire demon," he whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Yeah, Ifrit. ..see, you do remember a little. .."

Rudolph shook his head, quickly putting all the papers and whatnot back into the file folders. "No more. I've had enough."

Reno just nodded wincing a bit as he laid back in his own bed, the paling of his skin showing that he had overexerted himself a little. ..though he wasn't bleeding this time, fortunatly. ..he had simply exhausted himself.

Elena stood. "I'll leave you two to get some sleep." She turned towards Reno. "I'll wake you when Ms. Berry gets here."

"Thanks, yo. .." He settled in, his eyes closing. ..his dreams ones of he and Rude...then ones of Rude telling him he didn't know him. ..not to touch him. .the killing words. "I don't want to see you again. ..leave me be." outwardly there were little more than a few whimpers to tell of his fears coming out in his dreams as they usually did.

He didn't remember being such a light sleeper, but then again, Rudolph didn't remember much about himself at all. Everytime that Reno character would make a noise, he was instantly awake, staring across the room at the messy shock of red hair until the whimpering stopped.

Reno got up, heading for the shower. ..getting in, washing his hair, wanting to look somewhat presentable. . .again, it felt wrong. ..

There was a tiny knock at the bathroom door before a small "Reno?" came through it. Elena really didn't want to wake Rude back up.  
"Yeah.. .m'comin' Laney. ..give me a sec."

"No, no," she said softly. "Just wanted to let you know, Ms. Berry called. She had to reschedule for tomorrow afternoon."

"gotcha. ..need another damn smoke. ..every time we start ta make some progress. .." his eyes showed his emotional exhastion.

"It's going to take time," she replied, brushing a stray piece of hair from near Reno's eye. "He wants to remember just as much as you want him to. We just have to be patient."

"You know I was never much for patience, Laney, that's HIS department. ." He just sighed, striding outside for another cigarette. ..he was so insanely soul-weary, he felt like he'd aged 20 years in the past one.

Elena stole one of the cigarettes from his pack, sitting down next to Reno on the curb as she lit it. "Well, he NEEDS you to have patience now." She paused to watch the smoke mingle with her chilled breath. It was getting a little chilly outside lately. Seasons must be changing. "Just remember, if you drive him away now, even if he does get his memories back, he'll resent you for pushing him away. Then where will you be?" she asked, knowing the redhead would answer the rhetorical question.

"Places I don't wanna go. .. shit. .I just. ..I want him back. ..want IT back how it was before this fucked up year started. .."

She glanced over at him. "This has been a fucked up year." She took a long drag from the cigarette before pausing to look at him again. "Isn't there something about this picture you find wrong?"

"What, besides, you and I sitting out here instead of HIM and I? and me in my fucking hospital gown looking like death not even warmed over but still fucking cold?"

Elena sighed, her hand absently trailing down to her abdomen as she held her cigarette closer to Reno's face. "Want to try again?"

"An' you shouldn't be smoking, bad for the baby." he chuckles softly." And then he realizes. .."No. ..shit. ..you mean. ..while I was. ..Gods, I'm so sorry, Laney. ..shows where my brain's been."

She just nodded, taking another drag from the cigarette. "Wednesday morning. Early morning. Terrible cramps, thought I was going to die, then the bleeding... Went to the hospital and... well..." She paused. "I haven't even told Sam yet."

"While I was still out cold after Josh's little temper tantrum. ..fuck. ..'nother thing I can lay on myself. .."

"Had nothing to do with you," she said quietly. "It was an..." she took a deep breath before continuing. "They called it an incomplete abortion. They had to open me up and get what was left of... it... out..."

"Still. .dammit, life can't cut us a fucking break. ..I know you wanted it, Laney. ."

"I did, but..." she finished the cigarette, reaching for another. "Maybe... this was the way it was supposed to be. I'm not... I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mother just yet." So long as she kept thinking of it as, well, an 'it', she wasn't going to tear up again. She'd spent most of the time Reno and Rude were unconscious in tears.

Reno's eyes misted now...grief for her. ..as well as for his own losses. ..but they fell silently. .."s-shit. .." he slapped his hand across his eyes, dashing them away. ."I just feel so damn tired. ..but. ..not the kind sleep cures. ..you know what I mean?"

"I do," she said, keeping her tone even and her face straight. "They... they said it had something to do with the Mako Sam received in SOLDIER..."

He drapes an arm over her shoulders before looking down. .noticing a few spotss of red on the gown. "Shit. .." he almost said "Rude's gonna kill me for reinjuring myself" but he bit it back. ..biting his bottom lip at that reminder of what was lost.

"How am I going to tell him?" she asked quietly. It had been the question she'd been asking herself since the procedure. She was too caught up in her own thoughts to say anything about Reno's.

"Just tell him the truth. .it's all you c'n do." The words were spoken in a tired tone. ..the spots becoming a fair sized stain, but he ignored it.

"He actually wanted this so bad once he found out," she said softly. "He's... I hope he doesn't think I did it on purpose..."

"He won't blame you, Laney."

She sighed, inhaling afterwards and squinting her nose. She looked around, then noticed the spot on Reno's garment. "You're bleeding," she said plainly.  
He only nodded. ..before he toppled over, eyes rolling back.

Elena shot to her feet, calling Reno's name a few more times before she looked at that face, eyes staring in the complete wrong direction. She waved down one of the orderlies that happened to be walking by inside and got him to help her carry him inside.  
Reno when he awakened noted it was dark. ..the clock read some insane hour he didn't even want to imagine, and he was hurting like a bitch. ..and he had restraints on his wrists. Now whose idea was this?

"You passed out," came a soft, familiar voice from across the room. "They asked me if they could restrain you. I didn't see a problem with it. You... were trying to hurt yourself."

"Maybe. ..sub-consciously I was. ..I'm just tired of life fucking me all the time. .."

"Can't be that bad..." came the voice again. "Least you remember what you did two weeks ago."

"That's what's bad. ..you've forgotten. .everything.. .everything I was to you. ..an.. .shit.. .it fuckin' hurts.. .I'd pay so much to be where you are right now. ..to NOT remember. ..except. ..I'd wanna remember you. .."

He could feel an anger start to bubble up inside him, but he pushed it down. Now wasn't the time to blow off the handle. He sighed, settling on a single question. "What... what do you call me? So many people call me so many things..." He'd been called 'Rudolph' when his mother called, and 'Rudy' when he talked to his brother Sam, and that blonde woman had called him 'Rude'. He knew they were all variations on the same name, but to know what this redhead that seemed to mean a lot to him in his past called him.  
"I call you 'aibou'...partner. .love. ..sometimes baby when I'm in the mood for a tumble. ..but mostly...Rude or Rudy. .."

and he spoke the name "Rude" in that breathy tone that he reserved for when he was being loved. ..

"Rudy is too childish," he mumbled, the way the redhead said 'Rude' sending shivers up his spine for reasons he wasn't entirely sure of. "And I'm certainly no child..." he looked down at himself. "So... I guess most people call me Rude?" he asked, finally looking up at... Reno.

"Yeah. ..and you got one. ..who calls you papa Rude. ." he chuckled softly.

"I... I don't have a child." Of that, Rude was certain. It was one of the clear memories he actually could remember. 


	41. Chapter 41

Reno gives a slight chuckle, and a headshake, he knew he was about to get snapped at for this, but right now he didn't care.. .he did the trick he'd used at Corneo's, disjoininting his fingers and sliding them free of the restraints, then popping them to set them, back into joint, getting his wallet, opening it to a photo of Rennan, standing between he and Rude, livewire laying on the floor in front of them, snapped by Tifa right before she had taken Rennan with her.. .they looked like a happy family. ..so very RIGHT. He slid the photo over to Rude.

Rude frowned at Reno's disjointing, but frowned harder at the picture he was shown. "That's not mine," he said plainly.

"Mine. ..you. .sorta took him in after the mess." And he explains about Trish's abuse of the boy. themission he and Tseng had gone on that happened just before. ..then finally. .his eyes misting as he did, the events that happened afterward came out. ..maybe. ..maybe kinesic memory would trigger what nothing else would.

"I was shot." It was said as plain as day, no tone whatsoever leaning either positively or negatively. "By Josh." He paused, looking down before piercing Reno with suspicious eyes. "How do I know it wasn't you? How do I know you're not just telling me these things for your own benefit"  
"Because he did THIS to me." He gestured at the huge incision in his chest, and the smaller scar underneath the right side of his ribs, "And Josh. ..never loved you like I did.. .I stayed with you. .in the ambulance. .and held your hand. .." The voice. ..the one telling him to hang on, that they were almost there. .would he recognize it as being Reno's voice with that raspy tone? He could only hope.

"Wouldn't surprise me if you did that to yourself..." Rude replied. For some reason, the idea of Reno injuring himself wasn't exactly a foreign concept in his mind.

"I do small-time stuff, yo. ..nothin' like this." maybe the flash of him being removed from the shower. ..or even the fight in midgar. ..who knew what memories would be triggered with the wild gesture that exposed the scars up and down his arms? the one above his right wrist. .that was from that fight. ..jagged, too jagged for a knife.

"Glass..." he said quietly, reaching out and gently touching the wrist scar. "You..." he frowned, then rolled over on the bed, facing away from Reno. "Don't push me to remember." It was obvious that he was, indeed, remembering that incident in particular. How much of it though... he wasn't going to say. Even if asked.

"It's good to remember. ..I want you to rememnber me. ..I love you, yo. ..more than I could ever say...I don't want to lose you to this. .."

He then embraced him from behind, as he had done that night, but instead of letting go when Rude tensed up. ..he held on for dear life, his cheek pressed against that mocha-toned flesh.

As every muscle in his body tensed, Rude inhaled sharply. "I said, don't. Push. Me." The words were spoken with an undercurrent of warning. He wanted to remember in his own time, not because some crazy redhead who liked to fuck himself up wanted him to just so he could get his rocks off.

Reno backed off, but hurt was clear not only in his expression, but his whole body language. ..his back so stiff one would think he'd snap. ..he picked up the cigarettes from the night table. ..the same brand Rude always smoked, and the silver lighter that had been a birthday gift to Rude from him. ..walking out, lighting up. ..body shuddering as he realized maybe he had pushed too far. Crazy? Yes, maybe he was. ..but he loved Rude with every ounce of his being, and he wanted him back.

With a heavy, angry sigh, he slapped the nurse call button. Within a minute, the night nurse was there. "I can't seem to sleep," he said with a tiny smile, "Could I get a sedative?" Before the redhead came back, Rude was already sedated and out like a log, a slight snore issuing forth from his throat.

Reno just sat, watching him sleep. ..still stiff, no way was going to be sleeping...not tonight. ..his whole chest flared with hurt, it felt like, eyes dry, he wanted to explode, to throw things, to drive Rude into remembering everything, but to do that would drive him away. ..so instead he sat, rocking, with no one to talk to, alone within his own thoughts and hating every moment of it.

Rude twitched in his sleep, a moan coming from his mouth as a hardness jutted from between his legs.

Reno twitched. .. Gods. .he wanted to. ..but should he risk it? He figured. ..how else to stir without driving him away? so he slipped over to Rude's bed. ..kneeling in between his legs. .kinesic memory of OTHER things perhaps might help. ..he lifted the gown, his mouth surrounding Rude's cock. .. that mouth was completely unforgettable.

A louder moan slipped from Rude's lips, but he didn't wake.

Reno deep-throated him, muscles vibrating.before giving that whisper-scrape of teeth. . .licking the piercing that had never come out, wrapping around it. ..flashes of the night at Tifa's maybe?  
A hitched breath and Rude's eyes shot open. He lifted his head, looking down at the red hair between his legs. He glanced over at the wall clock, then frowned. Rude placed a pair of fingers in the redhead's mouth, scissoring them open to keep the teeth from biting down as he pulled himself from those lips. "Josh, do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked, voice gruff-sounding. "Some of us gotta fucking work in the morning..."

"I'm not Josh. .." with that he strode back over to his own bed, back going tight again. . .hurt he'd call him by that name.

Rude blinked a few times. He remembered... Josh, and everything before, but the time between that night the cops were called on him, the night Josh pushed it too far and earlier that morning? Blank. "R-Reno...?" he asked, remembering that the Josh lookalike's name was Reno. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"'sokay, yo. ..I pushed it. .I shouldn't have." His eyes misted over again. ..he knew it was going to take time. ..but how much? "I was just hoping. ..you'd remember. .maybe the night at Tifa's. ..hell, I think I still have that tape, though of course. ..not with me." He sighed. .

"Who's Tifa?" he asked, laying back down on the bed, his saliva covered arousal still prominent through the thin blanket over him.

"Dark haired chick, big boobs, runs the bar down the street. . .you kissed her once, had her lipstick all over you. ..I was. ..just a little mad."

Rude frowned, brow furrowing as he tried to remember. Of all things, he should at least be able to remember the chick if she had such a great rack.

Reno gave Tifa a call. "Hey, Tifa, you still got a copy of the tape from THAT NIGHT? Yeah, you know the one I mean. . .."

The giggle over the line made Rude's cock twitch. "Haven't stopped watching it," she said, voice indicating that she thoroughly enjoyed the tape... more than once.

"Could I borrow it for a bit. ..maybe it would help jog something."

"Sure," she replied. "I'll send Denzel over with it." There was a little scuffle to be heard, then Tifa spoke again. "Someone wants to talk to you..." "PAPA!" came Rennan's voice over the phone. "Papa, I was so scared! You were bleeding and it was all over and it was SO scary!"

"I know, kiddo, but I'm. .well for the most part ok, still sore. ..you wanna talk ta someone else a second? Warning, he won't remember you right now, but maybe it'd feel better for you if you talked long enough to know he was ok, up to you."

"But I wanna come and see you and Papa Rude!" Rennan whined. "Tifa said he's better now and will come visit us soon. But I wanna see you NOW."

"Tell her Papa said you come. ..for just a bit, ok?"

"TIFA!" With that, the phone was dropped, only to be picked up again by the woman in question. There was some whispering, and a loud whine from Rennan before Tifa spoke into the line again. "Reno? I'm not sure how good of an idea it is to have him be around Rude when he's... like he is."

"It might help, I don''t know. .I already warned him Rude wouldn't remember him right now. .maybe it'll help him remeber a little, I don't know. ..but it's worth a shot, right"  
Tifa sighed. She didn't think it was a good idea, but she couldn't argue with Reno. No one really could. "I'll be down there with Denzel, Rennan and the tape in an hour. Need to make these kids some breakfast first"  
"Allright"  
A loud "BREAKFAST!" was heard, distinctly Rennan's voice, before Tifa hung up.

Reno just turned, sighing, curling his knees up again. ..he appeared to be thinking

Rude stood, making his way slowly towards the bathroom without another word to the redhead.

Reno wanted to follow. ..so he did. ..another memory, maybe. ..they always showered together. ..the words "You got my hair" rolled off his tounge, completely unbidden.

Rude grunted, finishing with his business then turning towards Reno. "I'm sorry. I'd... I'd feel a little more comfortable with some privacy"  
Reno strode back out, stung, and trying not to show it. .everything had changed. .  
Rude leaned against the shower wall, letting the just above luke warm water fall over his shoulders. To say he was angry would be an understatement. However, he was less angry about not being able to remember than he was about how everyone seemed to be pushing him to remember.

Reno just walked back outside. ..he wouldn't start crying again, no matter how bad it hurt. ..no.. .he leaned against the wall, whispering "Fine. ..if he doesn't want to remember me. ..I guess it means I might as well just walk the fuck away. .it's not like he'd really care, is it?" But was he going to really convince himself of that?

Rude groaned, his hand snaking its way down between his legs at the hardness that had stayed there. He would take care of things one at a time. It was how Costans did it.

Reno finally just strode back inside, determination flarting in his eyes. ..He didn't care if he got hit, he WAS going to trigger something. ..he strode into the bathroom, stepping into the shower while Rude haad his eyes closed, and looked up at him with those soft, wanting eyes. ..calling his name in the way that made him shiver before taking his mouth to the area between balls and shaft that drove him insane.

To say Rude jumped a mile high would be the understatement of the century. His eyes snapped open, fingers clenching as he released his hold on himself. "What are you doing?" he asked, voice indicating nothing.  
Reno sighed "Trying to help you remember something good.. .I 'm sorry if I triggered something bad last time, but shit. ..I'm tired of being without you. ..an'. .oh, fuck it, why do I even keep trying. ..? Nothing helps anyway." He stormed out, pacing the room.  
Rude frowned, words falling softly, unbidden from his lips. "It's not like you to give up so easily..."

"It might not be, but I' tired of fucking getting hurt. ..tired of life beating me the fuck up, and tired of beating my damn head against a fucking brick wall with no result!"

"You think I don't want to remember?" There was that rising anger in his voice. "You think this is easy for me? I barely even know who the fuck I am! I've got people on one side telling me to take it easy, treating me like a child, then I've got people on the other side pushing me into things I'm not totally comfortable with." His breathing was harsh and quick as his hands continued clenching into fists, his first instinct to fight it out.  
"Fine, I'll walk the fuck away, is that what you want? Fine. ..I'm outta here. ..it hurts too damn much to be here. ..with you. .but not you. .." His eyes filled, and he began to throw his things into bags. ..his back so damn stiff it was painful. ..

Rude's voice dropped back into that Costan accent that still showed up when he was really emotional. "Gonna just walk away? Must not mean as much to you as you said, amigo." It was like being 19 again, considering that's as far back as he could remember.

"I fucking do, but it's pretty damn clear you don't want me here, and what's the sense in pushing someone into something they don't want, right? They only resent you for it later."

Rude spread his arms in a 'well, what are you waiting for?' gesture. "You say you care, eh? Prove it, socio."

Reno walked into those arms..siezing his lips in a desperate kiss...his eyes leaking so hard the taste of salt would move into both mouths.

Rude pressed his advantage, claiming and dominating the kiss as much as he could. "Eh," he said softly when he pulled away, using a thumb to wipe one of the tear tracks away. "I promise... stay good and I swear I won't lay another hand on you... Te quiero..."

"I'm tryin' yo. ..It's so hard. ..I'm not Josh, yo. ..I'm me.. .I want you to love me for me. You're Mi Corazon." There is only one person who had ever called Rude that...to his knowledge. ..only one, and that was him.

Rude shook his head as if trying to get something to fall into place that wouldn't. It was there, he could feel it, but it was just out of his reach. "I remember touching him... but not you. You... you look so much like him..."

"The day of the counseling session. ..you freaked out on me. .but you realized. ..I wasn't him...and the night after our wedding. ..is when you called m that. ..you called me. .Mi Corazon. ..and I later called you that. ..when you came back to me..after the day on th ebeach, you and me and your brother. .I said that to you."

"Sam?" Rude asked, his face and eyes full of questions.

"Yeah. ..it was. ..onea those wierd things that come outta the surf an' sand an' bein' happy ta be alive. . ."

Rude shook his head, indicating that he didn't remember. He paused, trying to make sense of everything. "I... I loved Josh... but not anymore? And now I love you?"

"Yeah. ...we've been married. ..for almost 5 months. ..but we were together a long time before that... partners. ..You and Tseng were the ones tha found me. ..recruited me. ..I pickpocketed Tseng, ya'll chased me from Sector 7 all the way back to Sector 5 before you caught me. " He then unconsciously traced the scars on his face, remembering Rude chasing the kids off him. ..him leaning against the side of the buildin, rocking, his tears stinging the jagged slices under his eyes. ..how he'd been so gentle patching him up even though they had scarred, as Rude had predicted they would.

Rude's face showed infinite confusion. "Tseng... was my..." The word 'lover' just didn't feel right to say, but he had to know if he'd become some kind of whore since the age of 19.

"You kissed him once, but he trained you. ..just lilke he did me. ..it never went further than that one kiss, though, from what you told me."

"How did we..." Rude paused, unsure how to ask the question. "I mean, you just told me how we met met, but how did we, um, meet... like... more than working together meet?"

"4 nights after Rufus n' broke up. .. you didn't know why I was so upset. ..but ya tried ta comfort me. ..we went out, got completely an' utterly shitfaced. ..ended up falling into each other.. .I thought you were gonna clobber me, but you just dove in and stole another kiss. ..I ended up getting sick on your bathroom floor, and you helped me into the shower, washed me up, but then we ended up making out and finnally making love in that shower."

"You and Rufus... ShinRa?" Rude's eyes showed the shock that was also evident in his voice.

"Yeah, for six months.. "

"So... we drink... a lot?" he asked. "And we were... was that first time just... just because we were drunk?"

"No. ..I'd wanted to. ..for a long time, but was too scared to ask."

Rude looked down at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. "Am I really that scary...?"

"No. .not scary, just. ..hard to read."

The crease in Rude's brow as he frowned deepened. "Explain."

"You're so damn quiet, and you always wear those damn shades, and your face stays so schooled it's hard to know what you're thinking sometimes. . ..took me a long time to learn to read your body language."

"Am I that way with everyone?" he asked quietly.

"Pretty much. ...I know. ..a lotta stuff you've done that might be why. ..Josh being but one.. . but yeah, you keep pretty tight leach on yourself most of the time. ..a coupla times you've exploded, but most of the time it's turned on people who very much deserve it."

Rude sighed, his knees going up as his hands went to the sides of his head, elbows resting on his knees. "You're telling me I'm such a... hard person. I'm not, you know." He glanced over at Reno.

"Not hard, just. ..you guard your feelings a lot, ya know."

There was a deep sigh with a slight shudder at the end of it. "Maybe I just don't like burdening people with my problems..."

"'smy job ta help. ..'swhat partners, friends, spouses are for, and I've been 'em all."

Rude was going to say something, but the door to the room made a 'click' sound, causing his eyes to widen. He unconsciously reached for his ankle, and finding no service pistol there, slid off the bed, falling into a fighting stance. He had no idea why it was so familiar to him, but it just... felt right to defend himself. "Hello?" Tifa peeked her head around the edge of the door, only to have said door flung open by a tiny redhead yelling, "PAPA!"

Reno gathered his son in his arms. "'sallright, aibou. .it's just Rennan and Tifa."

As she watched Rude slide back into his normal standing pose, she glanced over at Reno and his son. Seeing that the boy was currently completely enthralled with his father, she walked carefully up to Rude, her hands behind her back and a tiny smile on her face. "Hey, big guy." Rude couldn't take his eyes off the woman... this Tifa. She was, in a word, beautiful. He blinked, trying to keep his gaze on her eyes and not her... other assets. His command of language left him, so he just greeted her with a grunt and a nod.

Rennan blinked, looking up. "Papa said you wouldn't remember me. . .but you're still Papa Rude to me."

A tiny smile touched the corner of Rude's mouth. He tore his eyes away from Tifa to ask Reno, "Yours?"

"Yep, mine" He explains about Trish, and the mission where he'd been conceived, the whole shebang.

Rude just shook his head, sitting down heavily on the bed. "It's too much..." he said softly.

"Sorry, yo. ..'sjust. ..shit. ." He wasn't sure what to say, just gestured Tifa to take Denzel and Rennan for a snack.

Tifa nodded, shooing out the two boys, reassuring Rennan that they would see his two papas again before they left.

Reno took the chance, putting the tape on. ..this was a good memory. ..damn good one.

Rude watched as someone who could look like him, and definitly looked like Reno came into focus. He barely heard what little audio there was, his eyes widening and mouth getting dry as he watched what must have been himself swallow the redhead's arousal.

"That was your idea, by the way."

Rude's eyes flickered over towards Reno for a moment before a louder noise was heard from the tape. He watched as he and the redhead switched places, as he obviously spilling himself down the man's troat, and as he stood, still hard, fingers tracing over Reno's entrance.

Reno has to shift, he is PAINFULLY hard under the gown, and there is no way to hide it.

He squirmed slightly, his hands covering his lap as he watched himself lay claim to the redhead in the video.

Reno could TELL it was affecting Rude as it was him. ..he felt the bond tightening. ..he hoped Rude felt it too, even if he didn't know why.

When it was all over Rude was pink from the tops of his ears all the way down past where the hospital gown covered him.

"I want so badly to replay that night. . .it was fucking fantastic."

Rude didn't trust his voice. He wasn't as weirded out by watching himself do THAT with the redhead, but he was a little weirded out by his reaction to watching himself do THAT with the redhead.

"course your body is responding. ..it remembers what you don't.

Rude stood quickly, making his way just as quickly towards the bathroom, tossing an "Excuse me," before locking the door behind him. There was an intense pressure between his legs that needed some release.

Reno cursed, he had wanted to. .draw him closer. ..so he just sat on the bed, shaking his head, cursing himself for a million sorts of idiot.

Rude's hand worked furiously over his arousal, friction eased by a little of the liquid soap on the sink. His mind supplied plenty of unremembered images of the redhead in various positions under him to help him along.

He didn't WANT to take care of the problem himself. ..he craved Rude's touch so badly it almost hurt. ..a physical and emotional ache.

Within moments Rude spilled himself into the sink. He turned the water on, using one of the washcloths on top of the toilet to clean himself off. Once he considered himself just a little more presentable then he'd been when he first came into the bathroom, he unlocked the door and went back to his bed.

Reno had his back turned, knees curled to his chin, holding himself together by a thread. ..why is it every time he tried to trigger something which would draw them closer. ..it blew up in his face?

Tifa caught Reno's eye from the doorway, nodding that he should come out into the hallway... without Rude.

Reno strode out, just shaking his head. "I know, I'm pushin'. ..I. ..shit, I miss him."

"I can tell," she said softly, winking as she looked down at the tent in Reno's hospital gown. However, with the look the redhead gave her, Tifa sighed. "You... you have to let him come to you. Otherwise... he might remember everything and decide he doesn't want to go back to that... You know?"

"The problem is he's NOT. ..I doubt he ever will. ..if he never does. ..what then?"

"From what I understand he's making great progress for only being conscious for two days," she retorted. "But you have to remember, it has only been TWO days. Midgar wasn't built in a day."

Reno only shook as he leaned against the wall, then he punched it. ..he did NOT want to cry.

Tifa wrapped her arms around Reno from behind, her chest pressing against his back as she just held him. "How long was it before Rude would even say more than two words to you?" she said softly. "And how long after that before he would smile? Rude, he... he doesn't give his heart carelessly. You know that."

"He's had mine since the beginning. ..that;'s just it. ..I don't WANT to relive the year of Hell I had to before he would even give me the time of day. ..when the FUCK is life gonna stop shitting on me and cut me a fucking break?"

She squeezed him tighter against her. "He seemed to be talking to you just fine earlier," she pointed out. "I'm... I'm sure Rude feels it, that connection you two have, whether he knows what it is or not. But I KNOW he feels it. Otherwise... you're right. He wouldn't be giving you the time of day."

Reno leaned against her, his eyes dry, though his hands clenched together hard enough to drive his nails into his palms and draw blood. ..

"You just have to be patient," she said softly, reaching up with one hand to brush away a stray piece of hair that threatened to go into Reno's eyes. "Let him come to you. Be supportive... but not pushy"  
"Can't help it. ..tired, Tifa. ..just tired. .. tired of everything going bad every time I make some progress. it's so hard NOT to push. . .crave his touch, not just for the obvious reasons. .."

"Listen," she said, turning Reno around to face her. "Maybe... maybe you need to try... courting him again or something." She smiled brightly. "That's it! Don't focus so much on what you had, focus more on what you two CAN have."

"Never was good at courting, Tifa. .we ended up together because of a sheer accident. ..if we hadn't fallen into each other that night.. .we never would have ended up more than friends."

Tifa wagged a single finger in front of Reno's face. "Nuh-uh-uh. There is no such thing as an accident when it comes to love"  
"How the hell do you COURT someone who draws away every time you touch him. ..I just. ..I want back the progress we made. ..shit. ..is it so much to ask life gives that back?"

"Now you listen to me," she said, her strong hands resting on her hips. "We both know he's not exactly the touchy-feely type. Just... work around that. Consider it a challenge. Hell, consider it a mission if you have to."

He groaned. "I want it back how it was. ..I'm sick of getting fucked by life. ..fucking sick of it. ..why the FUCK should I have to work for something I should rightfully already have? Yeah, maybe I'm being childish, but don't I have the fucking right after the past fucking year?" Finally he calms down, trying to focus. "The problem is. ..it's hard for me to know HOW to work around it. .. I AM the type who touches to show what I feel."

Tifa's fingers tightened on her hips, fighting off the urge to just knock some serious sense into the redhead. Since when did she get deligated as marriage counselor anyway? "Look, how did you manage to snag his attention before? Just..." she waved her hand in a 'looking for the word manner'. "Just... do it again. Whatever it was."

"I got him drunk and got sick on his bathroom floor. ..:

Tifa couldn't help it; she burst into laughter.

"Well, it's true. ..and from there shit just sorta took off."

"Okay, maybe not an EXACT repeat of how you got him," Tifa said, calming down a little with Reno's seriousness. "Look, the doctor said he could recover in as little as two weeks or as long as two years. She's 80 certain he's going to make a full recovery. You just have to -- and I know you hate it -- have patience. Be there for him. Let him come to you. I know, I know, I said it before, but it's true and you know it."

"Doesn't help. ..and two years. ..shit, I couldn't handle two years of this. ..can barely handle two weeks. .." He knew he sounded like he was whining, but dammit, he missed him.

Her hands were on her hips instantly, a tiny fire behind her eyes. "If you can't have enough patience for this, how are you going to have enough patience for your child?"

He tried to center himself. "It's not the same, and you know that. ..you go through the year I have, and then you say to me what you just did. .." He was pissed off at the world in general right now. He paced, punched the wall again, Tifa could likely tell he was using the fury to stave off despair. ..like he had always done.

"Come on," she said with a tiny smile. "Denzel and Rennan are occupied by a human body puzzle, and when I left them they hadn't even gotten to the muscular system. Come next door and have a drink with me." It was the bartender in her talking, the one who always had all the right answers... at least for the drunks.

"Not supposed to leave. ..but fuck it. .." He unhitched himself from the last iv, grabbed his clothes from the closet inside the room, shrugging on his low-slung black pants, slipping on the shirt, and then the jacket. ..keeping the shirt half-buttoned and the jacket unzipped, as he always did. ..tapping his emr on his shoulder, standing in the door the image of the Turk Rude had known for seven years, even if he wouldn't realize it except subconsciously.

"Perfect," she replied, taking his offered arm with a giggle and leading him out the hospital, across the street, and into the bar there. "Guy who runs the place used to work for me back in Sector 7," she said conversationally.

Reno nodded. ..taking one last, long look back at the man he'd married. ..the one who didn't remember him, but he wished to God did. ..before he strode after her.

"Just a minute, Tifa. ..you want me to try to court him. ..I got something. . .but I need to stop by the jewelers a minute."

Tifa sighed good-naturedly. "A ring, Reno? He's not a girl, ya know. Maybe a... drill or some other sort of power tool would work better...?"

"Not a ring. ..something else. ..you'll see,"

"A new cock ring?" she asked, and with the look of shock Reno gave her, she raised her hands with a "What? I SAW that video, I'll have you know. More than once. I KNOW what he's packing down there."

Reno shook his head, stepping into the shop. ..when he comes out, he has a box with him, the box when he opens it holds a wrist cuff type bracelet of the finest Costan silver. ..within it were two stones in interlinked settings, one a bright fire ruby, the same color as his hair. ..the other a tiger's eye. ..the outside of the stone the same chocolate brown as Rude's eyes. ... the inside a fierce gold like the flecks those orbs carried around the pupils. ..the inscription read. "No matter what. ..we will always be as close as these stones. I will never forget. Reno.

Tifa let out a low whistle, followed by a tiny voiced, "Sap." She smiled widely, though, grabbing Reno's free hand and leading him into the bar. "I'd save that at least for the third date," she said teasingly. "'Cause that baby'll get you laid for sure."

"It was supposed to be an anniversary gift. .."

"Already?" she asked. Where had the time gone?

"I had it ordered. ..shit I orderd it the day we got married. ..was gonna pick it up on our one year. ..but hell, with how things are going. . ."

She shook her head, going from their table to the bar, ordering a pair of shots, then bringing them back. "Hope you like zombies," she said with a wink before raising her glass for a toast.

"It matches the one he gave me. .." Reno holds up the silver cuff around his own arm with the same matching stones. ..inside it said "Tu Eres Mi Corazon" in bold cursive lettering.

Tifa nodded. "To... to new beginnings," she said with a smile before clinking her glass with Reno's and downing the shot like the professional she was.  
Reno handed a man the box. ..ten minutes later he'd be knocking on Rude's door. ..the box in hand. ..with a photo of Reno where he had the tiniest somewhat sad Mona lisa smile.

"I figured. .if I sent it when I wasn't there. ..he might receive it better, y'know?"

Tifa just smiled, standing to get them another shot. She neglected to tell Reno the name of the disgusting tasting thing, because she was certain he wouldn't take too kindly to being served a mind eraser.

Reno downed it. ..then strode back over. ..he wanted to see Rude's reaction to the gift. .."Thanks for letting me clear my head Teef."

"Anytime," she said, making her way towards where she last left Denzel and Rennan.  
Reno strode back into the room, blushing slightly. .a little nervous. ..he saw the box on the table, but no Rude.. .

Rude walked into the room a moment later, dressed in a set of scrubs. "They took pity on me," he said with a nervous chuckle, gesturing at the the brightly coloured, obviously too small garments. He held in his hand his pack of cigarettes and lighter, and it was obvious he'd just returned from a trip outdoors for a nicotine fix.

"It was...for you. ."He gestured to the box.

Rude lifted his right arm. "I know." The metal shone brightly even in the dimly lit room.

"Did you liike it?" He he;d up his matching one.  
A tiny, almost impercievable nod. "Seems we match more often than not," he said softly, going to sit on his bed.

Reno sits on his. "I'm tryin' ta be patient. ..I just miss you. ..crave you. .'shard not to wanna touch you."

Another tiny nod. "It just... it makes me a little uncomfortable when you get all... touchy feely..." he muttered.

Reno nodded, but his eyes track away. "I know that, but I'm used to you being comfortable being touched by me. ..this is gonna take a LOT of getting used to. ..and really, I don't wanna. ..it hurts being next to you, but not being able to, ya know."

I like..." Rude shook his head. "No, I NEED my space..." He knew it would hurt Reno to say that, but... more than he didn't want to hurt the redhead, he didn't want to be pushed and pushed towards remembering. It was like, when he couldn't remember things he felt he was supposed to, he was letting everyone down. And that just frustrated him, which made it even harder to remember, which just piled the frustration and anger on even more.

Reno nodded, walking into the bathroom, getting his own shower...he would NOT cry in front of him right now, no, he wouldn't. ..so he went in there and turned on the shower, hating himself for every moment. ..part of him still blamed himself for the whole thing, maybe,,maybe he deserved this?

Rude flopped back on the bed with a sigh. "Is he always so difficult?" he muttered to himself, picking up the newspaper that was on the table by the bed.

When he came back out, he got into his own bed, turning over with his back toward Rude, rolled up tight into a ball on one side of the bed, something else that spoke a lot of his emotional state at the moment, but again, something Rude would only know subconsciously at the moment. He'd taken two of the dream suppressents that had been in his coat pocket for some wierd reason he didn't remember why he'd put them there, and was soon in a deep, dreamless sleep. ..something if he wasn't smoking he seemed to be doing a lot of late.

Rude, on the other hand, was more focused on his own healing. While the wound to his chest had healed -- bullet, they told him -- he had a rather pink scar there, which sort of matched the others that crossed his chest, arms and thighs. And he could swear there was one on his left foot, too. Wonder what that was from? While he was contemplating his past injuries, the nurse came in and took him off his IV, telling him he would be cleared to return home on Monday. He smiled at her; she was a pretty little thing. Too young for his tastes, but still, she was aesthetically pleasing.

Reno didn't even turn when she came in, he was out, like a light.

"He's been sleeping a lot lately, it seems. ." the nurse noted that fact as if it might be important, making a note to herself to talk to the doctor about it.

Rude nodded, mentally noting that little purse her lips made when she was thinking. However, that thought froze in its tracks. Wasn't he with somebody? Shouldn't he NOT be oogling the pretty little nurse?

"I'll be right back, and dietary will be coming up with your trays soon, if you can get your husband to wake up long enough to eat it would be appreciated." With that she strode out to go talk to the doctor for a few moments.

Rude nodded, saying a blunt, "Reno," as he looked at that scar on his foot. Now, what could that have been from? The way the edge was clean, he could only guess a sharp object... Curiouser and curiouser...

Reno mumbled something along the lines of "Rude, 'sonly 5:30, let me sleep a little more, sheeze" before rolling over, rubbing his eyes, they were red-rimmed, and his whole face looked rather haggard.

Rude rolled his eyes. Contemplating the foot scar would have to wait. He slid off the bed to stand next to the redhead's. "Reno. Get up"  
When he sat up, his look had a bit of "Why do you care?" just a bit, before he stretched, his ribs had begun showing a little, he ate little when his emotional state was in the shitter, something Rude often commented about when the weight fell...yes, Reno was obviously a very unhappy boy.

"Fine. Sleep through lunch." Rude tossed the comment behind him as he went back to his own bed and curled up with the newspaper.  
And yes, that cut, cut deep, but he wouldn't say anything. Intellectually he understood, but emotionally, it was a different matter. But he sat up anyway, shooting hus husband a look that said "you know just how to cut deep, don't you." one that was a shade petulant.

Rude ignored the look. If Reno wanted to act childish about the whole matter, fine. Rude could be just as, if not more, childish.

Not a matter of wanting to, but he was a man in a fair amount of emotional pain who never dealt well with it, either slipping into depression, which he was slowly doing, or acting petulant and childish. so picked at his food when the trays came up, ignoring Rude the whole time, and curled back up to go back to sleep.

Elena shook her head from the doorframe. "Things aren't going well, I see"  
Rude frowned, his grip tightening on his plastic fork. "And you are?"

"Just your co-worker for a long time. ..Elena Marshall, and oh, yes. .I remember. Noggin's not at the best at the moment. I know, he can be difficult when he's hurting.. But you know. .you might unbend, just a little. ..just a small touch at the moment it's needed goes a long way with him. Trust me on this."

Rude had no idea why he asked, but his mouth worked before his brain seemed to... "How's the baby?"

Elena's eyes turned sad. ." I lost it. .the day after you both were admitted."

"I'm sorry." What more could he say? He wasn't even sure how he'd known the blonde woman was pregnant.

"I haven't called Sam yet, I'm not entirely sure how to tell him."

Rude just nodded and grunted, going back to poking at his food. He really wasn't that hungry, but figured it was probably best that he at least eat.

"Looks like he's slipping into depression. .." Elena as always was right to the point. "He was always prone to it, not surprising considering how horrid life has been to him, really." She shook her head, she knew how hard this was, for both of them. "Like I said, unbend JUST a little...it'll go a good distance in the long run, trust me."

That frown returned to his face, his eyes saying more than his lips ever could. Why did he have to bend over backwards for this... kid? What was so special about the pushy little redhead that he had to cater to his every whim? Truth be told, the way Reno was acting in regards to Rude's problems was really pissing him off. How dare he expect Rude to fawn all over him about being depressed when Reno had done nothing but push Rude towards remembering something he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to remember anymore.

"He only wants you to remember you loved him, that's all. ..the rest of it really doesn't matter. .but I think I'll go... "

Rude nodded once, then went back to stabbing at what was supposed to be a lump of lasagne, trying to take out his intest frustrations on the poor food substitute.

Reno slept for the rest of the day, before the doctor came in to talk to him, something which he had suspected was going to happen, but had hoped wouldn't.

"Mr. Tarshill," she said with a nod. She indicated that she wanted him to follow her out into the hallway.

He followed. "I know. .I'm..being childish, or so he says. ."

She gestured towards the elderly man beside her. "This is Dr. Boswell. He's the psychiatrist who's been working with me in regards to Mr. Urar's condition."

"Pleasure," Dr. Boswell said, offering his hand to Reno.

He shook the hand, but had a feeling he was about to get told "back off" something not easy to do.

"I have been speaking with Mr. Urar on a daily basis since his recovery," Dr. Boswell said. Oh, how he hated dealing with spouses of those with mental illness. They tended to cope poorly with their change in lifestyle and occassionally fell into illness themselves. "He feels... frustrated, by your insistence of 'going back to the way things were"  
"I'm sorry.. it's. .hard, ya know." Yes, he wanted it back, who wouldn't? "I do want it back. .."

"I do believe Mr. Urar will make a full recovery," the elderly man said. "However, nothing will ever be... as it was. There will always be a time that he will know he did not know. There will always be that fear that it could happen again." He paused. "I understand how hard it is, however... you must treat him with the utmost caution if you are to gain as close to 'normal' as you are familiar with."

"Yes sir...I just. ..want him to be comfortable touching me again. ..and letting me touch him. ..that's the worst part...

"Your insistence has begun making him resent your actions," Dr. Boswell said softly. "If you continue, I fear he will fully resent you as a person, at which point, he will NEVER be comfortable with your touch again." He hated being so harsh.

"Fine. ..I'll just stop touching him altogether and withdraw, which is what's going to end up happening anyway, and the probably go back to dealing with shit how I did before I met him. .seems it what he'd rather fucking have anyway." Hurting, damn right he was.. angry with the world, hell yes.

"Mr. Tarshill!" The elderly man's voice boomed through the hallways. There, that would get the boy's attention. "Have you sought any assistance with your end of this tragic incident? If not, I suggest you do so, and quickly."

The woman who'd been treating Rude stepped forward. "I believe what Dr. Boswell is trying to say is that this is a very fragile time in Mr. Urar's life. A wrong step could be disasterous for the both of you in the long run. Perhaps you should speak with someone we have on staff here..."

He shook his head. ."No. .and not sure I want to. . .no one understands anyway."

She reached out a hand to rest on Reno's shoulder. "What could it hurt? If nothing more, you might feel better getting your feelings off your chest."

"It was my damn fault. ." he whispered, guilt creeping into his tone

She pulled him into a hug, rather unprofessional, she knew, but if it could make the man feel even the slightest bit better...

"I got the man off me to save my own ass. .and that's when it happened. ..I just want to pretend it never happened

"But it did," she said softly. "And you have to accept that." She paused. "Please, if for no one else, speak with someone about this... for Rude..."

"I. ." and he shook his head. "We'd made so much progress. ..all of it gone. ..in one swoop. ..how else am I supposed ta feel?"

"I'm not asking you to change how you feel. I'm asking you to tell someone who can help you how you feel."

He shook his head. "It won't change anything...but I guess. ..it can't hurt."

She pulled away with a smile on her face. "Exactly."

"Allright. . get me in. ..even if. .Hell, you know my son's the only one holding me together really. ..an'. .I'm supposed ta meet the attoreney. .. let me know when I'm supposed ta go, please"  
Dr. Boswell, having nothing more to add, nodded and walked back towards the psychiatric wing, fully intent on recommending his best underling to handle Reno's treatment.

He stepped back in, sitting on his bed, brushing his hair through, putting his game face on. . .waiting for Berry.

The woman could be heard coming down the hall a mile away, what with the sharp sounds her near stiletto heels made.

He went into his bag, he'd had Elena bring the stuff up.

She knocked harshly on the door. "Mr. Tarshill?"

"Come on in." He had everything settled on his lap.

The first thing Ms. Berry did when she walked in the door was thrust a piece of paper into Reno's face. "Are you responsible for the arrest of Ms. Kendrick?"

"She had some things in her posession that were not in the company's best interest for her to have. ..I however was not in on that assignment, though, no."

She shook her head. "And this?" She pressed another piece of paper into Reno's hands, this one with a photo attached to it. It was a picture of a rather bruised and banged up Josh, laying in a garbage dumpster.

"I didn't do that, no. ..in fact, he did this to ME" He gestures to the incision and the scar.

Another paper in Reno's face. "And this? Ms. Kendrick's house was the victim of arson shortly after she was arrested." To say Ms. Berry was fuming would be an understatement. Her quickly becoming open and shut case was just as quickly becoming a problem child.

"I have been here unconscious from wedsnday until friday, Ms Berry, I have been responsible for NONE of this. ..and I have left the building a total of ONE time since, something which Ms Lockhart can vouch for, as she was WITH me.  
Then the thought struck him." The boyfriend. ..have you spoken with her boyfriend, Ms Berry?"

"Which one?" she snorted. "According to the last count, she had more men going in and out of that house than a strip club"  
Reno handed her a photo "This one. ..he was at the square the day of the incidant in which my husband was injured." He also got the thought that maybe his boss might have had something to do with all this, but hoped not.

"I was not aware of that one," she said. "Regardless, due to your recent injuries, I managed to get the case pushed back until the end of the week... but I can't get that kind of favour again."

"Thank you. .I have everything, including the contents of the hard drive she stole, right here. She was intending on using my former employment, forced I might add, with Corneo in court."

"It is becoming more and more difficult to decide how this case will likely play out..." she muttered, jotting down notes on her legal pad.

"At any rate, I was not in on that assignment, Tseng specifically kept me off it, because if it had gone swirly it would have looked bad in court. ..very bad., and he wanted me to take no more risks than necessary. . .in a way I'm glad Josh got himself offed, even though I wish I'd been the one to do it."

"Mr. Miller is not dead."

"Damn, he should do the world a favor and get himself that way, fast." Reno, bitter. ..no. ..

"He claims a large man beat him, then raped him." She said plainly, gauging Reno's face for a reaction. "He tested positive with the rape kit."

"Wasn't Rude, he was not. ..shit. ...Sammy. ..or Eric. ." He remembered calling Eric the night of the incident.

Ms. Berry's face told Reno that he would tell her the whole story, or else she would drop his case.

"The night Rude was injured I called his home in Costa. ..Eric was. ..not happy, but half asleep. ..he said he had something for Josh. I didn't think about it until just now for obvious reasons"  
"Does the whole family have a history of violence?" It was a rhetorical question... but she still wanted Reno to answer.

"Just he and Eric for the most part. .. Sammy was a good kid."

"I see..." Ms. Berry said, writing more on her legal pad. "I believe I have a little more research to do. Any questions before I leave?" She was in a hurry. She'd pushed back several appointments to meet with Reno Tarshill that day.

"Just tell me when you've found him. ..and we'll get this settled. ..friggin' Miller, messing up everything."

She nodded, and the harsh clicking over her heels got softer as she walked away.

He called Rude's folks, when Gladys answered he greeted her. and immediatly asked "Did eric or Sam leave anytime in the last four days."

Gladys' frown could be heard over the phone. "Sam went back to work three days ago, and Eric disappeared yesterday... Why?"

"Because a lot of shit has been going down. . "He faxed her the papers Berry had given her over the intraweb part of her phone, and then explained it. .everything.

"Eric couldn't have done it," she said, knowing instantly what Reno was thinking. "That report said it happened two days ago, and he was sitting in the living room all day with some new game."

"Rude couldn't have either. ..shit, what's the number where Sam's stationed?"

She passed the number along with a warning. "Don't get my boys all riled up about nothing, now..."

"I won't, I'm just checkin' some shit out. ..someone is desperatly tryin' ta make things difficult for me, an' I just wanna find out why."

"I understand," she said. "Take care of yourself... and Rudolph."

"Doin' m'best, ma'am." With that he hung up, dialing the number she'd given him.

"Make it quick!" came Sam's voice over the phone.

"Sam, some wierd shit's been goin' down. ..you know anything about it? I'm not accusin' anyone. ..I just wanna know why everything has suddenly gone bonkers." He explained once more everything Berry had told him and shown him.

"No time, Reno! Call you when I'm done with drills!" With that, the phone was hung up.

Reno sighed, just shaking his head. ..this shit was getting wierder. ..but hell, it was something to keep his mind off his OTHER problems for a while. so he simply yelled to Rude from the doorway." I'm gettin' somethin' other than hospital food, want anything\

"Pizza, please," he said back, turning on one of the random sports games on the television.

Reno cringed at the mention of pizza, the thought of the behomoth entering his mind for a moment, but he said "Sure" ordering ahead of time, everything but anchovies for his half, the meats with extra cheese for Rude, just like he liked it.

"Take your pistol," he said offhandedly... not entirely sure why, but he had a feeling something had happened the last time they had gotten pizza. Something... with a behemoth?

"Yea, I would, but I don't have it. it's in the locker downstairs, got my emr, though. ..I'll be allright, unless I run into whoever's making my life Hell with Rennan's custody at the moment."

"You're not as good a shot as me, anyway," he smiled, then paused. How could he know that?

"No, I'm not.. you put two bullets in the head of a behemoth" It was said completely off-hand.

"Couldn't do that again if your life depended on it..." he said softly, no longer paying attention to the game or to Reno.

Reno was out the door, leaving ama, of course, but at least recovered enough to movve around without tearing his stitching open, and it was good to see him wanting to eat and to get himself chewing on a problem he COULD solve. he headed out to the pizza shop to pick up his order. ..sensing someone was following him, but not knowing who.

The man who entered the pizza place as the redhead was leaving could have easily been Rude's twin... with hair. Long hair. Down to his waist long hair.

Reno said "Hold onto that order, please." before following him out. "You, hold on one second. . .I got a few words for you."

"Talk is cheap, and your former woman is expensive." With that, the man spun on his heels and took off running.

Reno gave chase, fuck no, he was not going to let this man fuck shit up. ..he caught up to him, and when he did, the man got an emr in the back of the head. "Now. ..you are going to answer a few questions, or next time I'm going to shove it up your ass."

"Depends on what your questions are," the man replied, his tone still holding that cocky suredness.

"Why are you trying to fuck up my chances of getting my kid back? And why are you trying to make it look like Rude's the one doing it?"

"Your former girlfriend owes me a great debt. She offered the child as payment, but that child was taken from me somewhere between here and Kalm. Somehow, he ended up in your friend's custody..." He laughed, pausing before he went on to the second question. "As for our dear, dear Rudy... he also owes me a great debt. One I intend to collect when the time is right."

At this point Reno got furious. . .really furious. ..with a roar he exploded with a strength he didn't know he had, spin kicking the bastard in the jaw. ..hard, knocking him down before turning on the emr, moving too fast to track, beating him with the business end in whatever place he could reach, finally ending with it in his mouth, turned up to full. "The police'll pick you up REAL soon. .with a tape of everything you've just told me in your pocket." He flourished the mini-deck he'd kept for wiretapping purposes and With that, he trussed the semi-conscious man up, sticking the tape inside his shirt pocket and calling the cops.

The small, shadow-covered form in the alleyway across the street stayed hidden, waiting for the redhead to leave.

But Reno didn't leave. .. he waited for the police, and after they arrived, he went to find the other one. .to see who it was.

The small form was fast, unnaturally fast, and seemed to disappear into the shadows without a single sound.

Reno tried to give chase, but he was falling victim to the shortness of breath from the shot wound Loz had given him a while ago and his most recent injury, and was unable to catch him. ..but at least the cop had the one guy. He called Tifa next. "Tifa, is everything all right there. ..be on your guard. someone's after Rennan."

Tifa's confidence came through loud and clear on the phone. "Won't get past me. Thanks for the heads up."

"You're welcome. ..you heard about the shit that's gone down, right?"

Tifa sighed, her bravado fading quickly. "Reno..." she said softly. She had to say it, she had to. "If this shit keeps going down... I'm not sure if I can be certain of Rennan's welfare in your custody..."

"It's not my damn fault that Trish is fuckin' shit up. ..or I should say people she's gotten herself inolved with."

"I know," Tifa said with a sigh. "It's just... Rennan needs as close to a normal home as possible. You have to admit he deserves at least that."

"I know. .." he sighed too. . "I want it too. .believe me. ..I'm time of getting fucked up the ass by fate.":

"Just... Just try to get this all worked out before the court date, okay?" she offered.

"I'm trying. .police have the big guy. ..one more is out there. They say Rude has a debt to them too. .I'd ask him about it, but for obvious reasons, I can't. ..do some digging, please."

"Intelligence isn't my specialty," she said with a tiny smile that could be heard over the phone. "I'm just a bartender... not a Turk."

"Allright, shit. ..I just don't wanna get the boss and Tseng involved, mostly because I don't want to jeapordize things for Rude more'n they are. . .just. . .if you catch onea those bastards, use some persuasion to see if you get some answers, you're GOOD at persuading people."

Tifa laughed. "So good of you to notice." She knew exactly why she was so good as persuading people. Sure, she was nice and easy to talk to... but having the assets she had certainly didn't hurt.

With that Reno strode back into the shop, getting the pizza and heading back, after hanging up he called Rude "Pizza's on it's way, sorry for the delay, ran into a little trouble on the way in."

Rude frowned. He could remember it wasn't the first time things had gone wrong when there was pizza for dinner. Maybe the just shouldn't get pizza anymore...? "What happened?" he asked.

"Ran into the people that have been responsible for my problems over Rennan.. ." He didn't tell Rude what they'd said about him, it would likely drive a deeper wedge, he didn't want that.

"And?" Even missing most of his memory from the time he was 19, he knew Reno was holding something back.

"They said something about you owing a debt,he was a big guy, looked a lot like you, long hair. ..he had a smaller guy with him, but I couldn't get a good look at him, he took off on me." Now, the description should have triggered something for Reno, and normally it would have, but he had supressed most of the faces of those of his former gang to save his own sanity.

"How small?" Rude asked, his tone flat. Perhaps his missing memories were a blessing in disguise; they brought those ones he did remember into far clearer focus.

"shorter than me, and thin."

"About the size of a child?" he qusetioned. "And the guy who looked like me... how many of the little ones did he have?"

"Just the one that I saw. .but yeah, the shadow was child size."

Rude muttered a name under his breath, then spoke again to Reno, his tone commanding. "Where did they take the guy?"

"Police station. . .meet ya there?" His tone said "We're still partners, it's my job to have your back."

A shuffling noise was heard as Rude quickly stripped off the scrubs he'd been given and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt Reno had brought in an overnight bag for when his condition was better. "Where's it at?"

Reno gave him the directions, and he could be heard to be walking in that direction, pizza still in his hand.

Rude slammed his phone shut, his insticts guiding him more than his memory could. However, the images his memory supplied were enough to make him nearly push through the crowd of nurses that tried to get him to stop from leaving.

Reno damn near bumped into Rude as they arrived at the same moment. . .the pizza unfortunatly was a casualty. "Shit. ..oh well. . ." He asked the officer in front to allow them to see the big guy they'd just brought in no more than an hour ag

Somehow, Rude knew before they even got down to the holding cell what he wouldn't find. "Fuck!" he shouted, noticing the empty cell before turning to punch the concrete block wall.

"Fucker escaped. ..why the HELL weren't you watching?!?"

Rude's phone was open and dialing in a heartbeat. He didn't know exactly why he was doing what he was, but he just knew to trust his instincts. "Momma?" he asked when Gladys picked up the phone.

"I'm here, sweetheart, what's going on?"

"Where's Eric? Has he gone missing? How long?" he asked in rapid succession, hoping against hope his instinct was wrong for once "Since yesterday morning. . ."

Rude went quickly back up the stairs and out the door of the precinct. "Move fast and do EXACTLY as I tell you... and all three of us might live to tell this story to our kids..." he commanded back at Reno.

Reno nodded, sticking close behind him

"We need to blend," he mumbled, ducking into a clothing store and reaching for his wallet. Within 15 minutes both he and Reno had been reoutfitted to look more like the street kids they were going to be pretending to be. "Weapons?" he asked the redhead.

"Got my emr, and your pistol was in the overnight bag. ..I grabbed it, also got your gloves."

"No words. This is my baby. Let me do the talking." Rude turned to look back at the redhead. "And I mean it this time, Reno." This... this was familiar. A few scattered memories of missions with his partner filtered to the surface. However, none of those held that passionate overtone that Reno claimed was there.

"Yeah, gotcha"  
His quick steps were taking him towards the Wutan Quarter of the city. The deeper they got, the more tension was evident in the set of Rude's shoulders.

A child stepped out of the shadows in front of them, not speaking a word. It was dressed head to toe in black, and neither the child's sex, nor age could be determined... even when it chose to speak. "Why are you here?"

"Where's Krastof?" Rude called, not moving, but cracking his knuckles as a warning.

"Who wants to know?" the child responded.

"Tell him... Rudy's looking for him."

The child seemed to disappear, and within minutes, a large man who greatly resembled Rude, with waist length hair, calmly walked towards them.

Reno bounced on the balls of his feet. ..it was obvious he was nervous, though Rude probably only knew a little of why. . .these were the guys who had sold him to corneo. ..and had done some unspeakable things to him several times before that.  
"Well lookie what we got here" one of the little ones said "Two birds ha' come home."

"You have something of mine," Rude said, pointing at the eldest man there. He noticed that they were quickly being surrounded by... children, no older than their late teens.

"And you owe me a body," the man, obviously Krastof, replied flippantly.

"You don't get Eric."

A sinister smile crossed Krastof's lips. "Then perhaps you will give me another. When you left us, Rudy, we were in dire straights..."

Reno was suddenly grabbed, pinned face first against the wall in the alleyway Rude had led him into. ..the hands that had him pinned were HUGE, beefy, and the jeans he'd been wearing were torn in shreds from him. .the tiny raised mark that Rude had probably seen before but never asked about just barely visible under the ink on the base of his spine, it was something that looked almost like a bar code. ..mark of ownership by the Red Barons.

Rude supressed the jump that would have indicated his surprise. Acting off guard with Krastof was deadly... or worse. "You don't get them both."

Krastof tsked, taking a few steps closer. "It appears that technically, I can have them both. See, Anthony seems to have uncovered a new development in our little deal." He nodded to the large teenager, who pointed out the mark at the base of Reno's spine. "Seems he already belongs to us. Can't bargain for something we already own..."

Reno had no way of fighting, he was completely pinned. ..and he knew what was coming. ..knew very well. . he had been raped by the gang so many times as punishment for some misdeed or another. ..and when he felt hands parting his asscheeks he knew it well. ..he was going to be raped dry until he passed out. ...

Rude was quick in drawing his pistol, pointing it single handedly at this Anthony's head. "He goes any further and he loses both heads." He moved his aim down lower on the teenager.

"Are you still as good of a shot as you were, Rudy? You HAVE grown since then... have you compensated for all that extra muscle?" Krastof teased. "Perhaps we should ask the whore? Oh, Reno!" Seemed the man knew more than he was letting on. Not a good sign for the two Turks. "Tell me, my little man, has our Rudy grown any since we last met like this?"

"Sure as hell more than you, Kraptoff. ..did you enjoy raping me that night? I bet you did, you always were a sick fucker."

Krastof shook his head, tsking again. He made a gesture with his hand, and Anthony's hand moved quickly, smacking Reno on the back of the head and bouncing his face off the brick wall he was pinned against. "You will answer me politely, or you will be punished. You are aware of my punishments, my whore."

"Let him go," Rude ordered, still keeping the gun trained on Anthony. "This is between you and me. Not him. Let. Him. Go."

"Fuck you Kraptoff. .." his head was bleeding, his ears ringing. .."I swear to Shiva I will cut your balls off if you touch me."

Shiva can't hear you, boy," Krastof called over.

"Listen," Rude said, lowering his pistol slowly. "Let's make a deal." He suddenly remembered exactly how the previous meeting had played out years earlier, and it hadn't ended pretty for either of the boys. "You let Reno and Eric go... and you can have me."

A single, arched eyebrow raised. "Oh? How noble..." Krastof chuckled. "Now, why is it that I don't believe you? You've lied to me before, Rudy, and since becoming a Turk, I'm sure you've lied plenty more times. How can I know you'll be trusted?"

"No, Rude. .I can take this. ..but I. ..can't. ..take. ..losing you." He then let out a shriek as a feeling as if he was being torn apart siezed him.. ..that. .whatever it was didn't even feel like flesh and blood. ..but. ..metal. ..it was cold. ..like metal. ..and his eyes widened. ...one of the boys had been killed that way before. ..a bullet right up the ass that stirred their intestines into paste and ripped the rest of their internal organs apart before blasting its way out of their mouth. ..it had been an ugly, ugly death.

Two shots sounded, each with pinpoint accuracy. Rude was glad for all those times he decided spending quality time at the shooting range with his M9 pistol was a better waste of time than spending his free time getting drunk with Reno. Anthony dropped, bleeding profusely from the groin and the head. Rude did a mental check: 13 bullets left.

"Stop!" Krastof shouted as what appeared to be 20-30 children stepped forward quickly, unable to reach Anthony, Rude or Reno before Krastof had called them off. He straightened his cuffs, taking a deep breath before speaking again to Rude. "I see you are still an excellent marksman. I taught you well."

Reno fell, the rifle still firmly embedded in his rectum, shaking like a leaf, his eyes wide, his heart pounding like a rabbit's. ...terror clearly written across every line of his body. . .he curled up on himself in some gross parody of a cat. .. only dimly hearing the growl. ..then the feline roar as a flash of black and white lept in front of Krastof. ..standing in front of Reno and partialy Rude protectively, snarling. ..how he'd gotten out no one would probably ever know, though Reno could dimly hear Elena's voice calling out for the cat.

"Get this off me or you'll never find your brother!" Krastof hollered.

"Livewire!" Rude yelled, hoping that cat understood that if it cost him his younger, annoying ass brother... Reno would be very upset with Rude's putting his cat down in front of him. He didn't even stop to think why he knew the cat's name, or Reno's association with it.

"Livewire. ..come. .." the voice was weak. ...croaking. ..but the cat obeyed.. .

Krastof coughed as he slowly stood. "Ah, I see you remember..." Another cough and the man seemed rather unscathed. "Just remember, Rudy, if you kill me, you're also responsible for the deaths of all these children who will follow me willingly to the Lifestream..."

"Reno's injured. Let him go. It's me you want." Rude's words came through clenched teeth.  
Reno before he passed out hit the tracker on his phone. .. the Shinra issued one that would tell Rufus and Tseng where they were, not the private one Rude had installed.. .there would be a team of Turk that would soon be on top of the matter.

Livewire meanwhile trotted back to Elena. ..whining, and mewing, and pulling on her pants leg.

Elena had heard the shots and was already running in that direction, Tseng with her, following the suddenly triggered blip on his phone.

"The whore deserves it," Krastof spat, irritated that the cuahl had split his lip.

"What's it going to take to get what I want?" Rude asked carefully. Things were quickly spiralling into a fashion he wasn't prepared to handle.  
Michael TW Kelley: They would find Reno curled up on his side, unconscious and growing steadily more so, with a rifle stuck up his ass and his torn opening bleeding down his legs...

Tseng meanwhile gestured for Elena to gather up the children while he took out Krastof and made the extraction.

Rude's gun leveled on Krastof's chest. "Tell me where Eric is, or so help me, I will kill you." A tiny flash of movement from the corner of Rude's eye and he squeezed the trigger, the bullet lodging itself in Krastof's chest before Rude could even turn to see what had startled him.

The movement was a small figure, clad in black, that Reno would have recognized from when Krastof had followed him to the pizza parlor. The figure landed on Tseng's shoulders, a tiny dagger drawn, leaning down to whisper, "Too late, father," before plunging the weapon into the man's abdomen.

Tseng's eyes widened. "Shion?" before he pulled out the dagger, blood flowing from his mouth. ..gesturing Elena to take the child while he crawled off toward Rude. . .going into his pocket for a potion, finding one, he sippied it, healing the wound enough for him to move. .."Take my son out of here.

As Elena grabbed at the child's arm, she was cut by another tiny dagger, reflexively pulling her hand away as the pain hit. That gave the boy just enough time to slide back into the shadows, effectively disappearing and escaping.

Reno moaned softly, pain had brought him back into a semi-conscious state, he calls for Rude in a voice barely above a whisper, he is still trembling like a leaf. . ."Please. ..don't leave me. . ."

"Reno?" Rude asked, rushing to the redhead's side. He took in Reno's injuries, then chuckled slightly. "Give me a break. You've had bigger shit than that up there..." Rude paused, frowning... face full of concentration.  
Reno blinked, "'scold. ..pull it out. .. but careful yo. .." he was sweating. ..his eyes still clouded, What he had taken might have been bigger, but not like this ..not in these circumstances. and the gun's surfaces were all rough, catching and tearing flesh. ..

Rude carefully worked the rifle from inside Reno's body, tossing it aside after checking that it wouldn't go off.

"I love you. " it came out softly, he was doing his damndest to still the shakes. ..biting his lip as memories spilled over him, ones he wished he could forget. ..remembering bleeding in the alleyway, Rude patching up his wounds. ..idly tracing the scars on each cheek with his own fingers.

Memories floated just below the surface of Rude's consciousness. He could almost feel them, wanting free of their entrapment.

Reno's eyes fluttered as he again said "I love you,baby. .."

Rude didn't answer... though a part of him wanted to.

With that his eyes folded closed, resting against Rude. ..knowing he was safe. 


	42. Chapter 42

That frown creased Rude's brow as they gathered their wounded into the vehicle Tseng and Elena came in, the blonde driving. Rude sat in the back seat, resisting the urge to push the redhead off his lap. He didn't have the heart to be that cruel.

"This is quite likely to scar him mentally. ." The comment from Tseng was almost musing. ..he wanted to tell Rude Reno would need him, but he didn't. . .Rude would likely get mad, and it wouldn't help.

"It didn't need to happen again," Rude said, tone quiet but icy. "... he was careless."

"He was trying to protect you." Elena stated flatly. "Right now you may not remember, but he does, he loves you, despite how he's being treated." Yes, Elena was testy, She had watched Reno, who was despite his unpredictability still somewhat a creature of habit, struggle through this. Yes, she knew Rude didn't particularly like being touched prior to Reno, but in her opinion there was more than one point at which Rude had been downright cruel. She wasn't going to tell him that, though.

"Still careless," Rude muttered. He wanted to just shove the redhead off his lap, curl up in a corner of the car and break the fingers of anyone who tried to touch him. He DIDN'T like being touched. "What good would he do me dead?"

Elena whispers "Looks like it's what you want." Under her breath, and right now she was honestly wondering why Reno hadn't just kicked his ass to the curb, or let Krastof take Rude. ..her fingers tracing the scars on Reno's face trying to lend the redhead just a small amount of comfort, knowing he'd get none from the one he rightfully should be. Ok, so maybe it wasn't completely Rude's fault, but she was simply sick of watching the smaller man being hurt from slamming his head into the brick wall Rude was putting up around himself.

A cigarette was lit in Rude's hand before he knew what he was doing. He cracked the window a bit to let the smoke out, and sat there puffing like a chimney. He couldn't deal with this. He couldn't. Everyone kept pushing him, and it just made him more and more angry with each passing minute.

Elena as soon as they got there carried Reno in, not even looking at Rude as she did, she was pissed as Hell, but she wasn't going to say it, no, she wasn't. .if he wanted to be an anti-social dickwad, let him. .. she'd do the best she could to help Reno, but she hoped to God Rude figured out what he stood to lose when Reno stopped trying altogether.

Rude waited outside, finishing his cigarette and lighting another while the others went inside. He had some thinking to do, and he wanted to do it alone, with no one pushing him or steering him or anything.

Reno didn't cry out as they treated him, just let out the tiniest of whimpers, even though it hurt, his head ringing like fuck from the blow he'd taken, he was torn up pretty badly inside as well. ..and he heard Elena ask the doctor for a complete run down of his injuries.

"The internal injuries are what we're most concerned about," the doctor, Dr. Grey, said in his monotone. "Other than that, we've got a broken nose, a few hairline skull fractures, and some bruising."

Elena nodded, she knew how the surfaces of the rifle had torn him up, she'd seen the blood when she'd come up on the scene, she ran her fingers through Reno's hair, feeling the tiny shakes that still ran through him. .

Reno's eyes flickered once, twice, then closed, unconsciousness had finally claimed it's prize, though his mouth formed Rude's name as it did. . .this is another situation Rude if he were inside would likely find eerily familiar.

Dr. Grey was shooing people out of the room, claiming his patient needed rest in that same monotone.

Elena strode outside, lighting up one out of Reno's pack that had been in his shirt pocket as she did, standing a good 100 yards from Rude. . .she appeared lost in thought herself.

Rude noted the blonde standing there, but didn't give her a second thought. He went back to his brooding with the lighting of another cigarette.

Then came the screeching tones from inside, another thing that might jog something, this one less than pleasent. ..dance floor of a club. .. Elena ran in, to find multiple doctors fluttering around Reno's bed, she stood back and allowed them to work, silently praying the entire time.

Rude walked down to the street corner, still brooding until he noticed a few children running down the street. Children? Krastof's gang was mostly children... But Krastof was dead... and Eric was still missing... "Eric," he said softly. He'd managed to escape the confrontation relatively unharmed; he was in perfect condition to go after his brother.

Elena heard a doctor yell clear, and had to fight to stand there . ..where was Rude now? He should BE here. It wasn't right that he wasn't. When his memory came back, if Reno died he'd feel horrid, she knew he would.

He stalked quickly through the streets, trying to remember just how many bullets he had left in his gun, all the while his eyes darting about, searching for one of the kids he'd seen earlier.

Finally one of them saying "We have a rythm!" and Elena almost sank into the wall, looking up at one of the doctors who began clearing away from the bed, with eyes that asked what had happened. ..why had he crashed like that so suddenly?

The further he went into the Wutan Quarter of the city, the dimmer the light became. He passed boarded up stores, their once colourful awnings now faded, yet still blocking out much of the day's light.

Then Rude would see children coming out of the shadows, those shadowed forms following him, one in particular swift of motion.

"What happened?" she finally found the voice to ask.

Rude faced down one of the children, an unknown dirt covered face. He cracked his knuckles, fingers already encased in a pair of fighting gloves. "Where is Eric?" he asked.

The child, no more than 6 at most, points to a small ranshackle wharehouse.

Rude knew that regardless of anything he said, the children would continue to follow him. He moved quickly towards the warehouse, senses sharp as he prepared for the worst.

What he would find would be Eric chained. .. much the same way he and Reno had been at Corneo's place, on a huge electrified rack. ..chidlren scattered around him.

Rude's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting as he looked around, counting children. There were far more children than he had bullets... "Let him down," he ordered the small group by where Eric was being held.

Two of them did, younger ones. ..they knew their master was dead, and many of the younger ones were glad he was. ..one of them then piped up. "You should go see to the other. . .there was something on that rifle. ..the master carried the antidote on the chain he had around his neck. If he does not get it soon, he will never wake up. . .He wanted to make an example of that one and your brother to keep the rest of us from trying to leave."

Poison? Since when did Krastof stoop to using poison? He picked Eric up, looking over him for further injuries. "Did he use it on him?" he asked the nearest child. He had to know. Before he hunted down that rifle, he HAD to know.

One of them nodded softly. "He used it on both of them. .. "

"How long ago?" Rude growled. He cursed silently on his not bringing a vehicle to transport Eric with.

"2 hours ago for this one. ..for your man, about 90 minutes."

"Shit." Rude did a few mental calculations. The fever hadn't hit Eric yet, which meant the poison hadn't completely gone through his system. He still had a little time at least. "Where's the body?" He was well aware that the children wouldn't let the body be found by the police.

Three children stepped aside to show the body. "Your man's gonna get hit faster, he's smaller, and injured."

He wanted to snarl a comment about the redhead not being his man, but he just couldn't do it. Besides, he hated that term: 'your man'. It just irritated him. He fumbled through Krastof's clothing, finally finding the little vial of antidote. He quickly tipped a few drops of the greenish liquid into Eric's mouth before recorking the vial and pocketing it.

Elena again asked the doctor what had happened, just standing there, shellshocked.

"We don't know, Ms. Marshall!" the emergency nurse said loudly. "Now please, move out of the way so we can help him!"

She moved, choking on her tears, watching her coworker, no her FRIEND, twtiching in fever bound convulsions, forcing the doctors to restrain him to keep him from injuring himself. ...no other sound but for the noise of thrashing limbs hitting cloth and the doctors shouting orders.

As Rude finished hotwiring the nearest car, a tiny voice spoke to him. "There is one of us that is still looking for you," the voice said. "He claims a personal debt to one of your friends."

Rude frowned, turning to see a small, sickly looking boy.

"He is better trained than we are... watch out for him."

Rude grunted and nodded, placing Eric carefully in the back seat of the car. Getting inside himself, he drove as fast as he could towards the hospital.

He would enter just as Reno coded again, his body had absorbed the poison quickly, just before he did so Rude's name formed on his lips in a low moan.

Rude's stride was sure and quick as he stepped to what appeared to be the head doctor. He handed over the vial from his pocket. "Here. Antidote," he said before shuffling his feet, almost as if the tiredness hit him the second his 'mission' was completed, and flopping into the nearest chair.

The doctor nodded, administering it, the screech leaving, the soft beeping sound returning...though he informed everyone there that how long it would take for the normally vivacious young man to awaken was anyone's guess. ..as to how whole he would be when he did so, that also was anyone's guess.

Rude slumped forward, nearly hitting his head on the ground as the stress of the last few days finally caught up with him and demanded unconsciousness.

Elena called Rufus, informing him of what had happened, including the incident with Tseng's son. ..her voice was shaky. "Tseng's watching over him. I just hope the both of them end up allright."

One of the doctors settled Rude into the bed next to Reno, the lithe redhead looked almost frighteningly pale.

The tiny snore that issued from Rude indicated that he was in a restful kind of sleep... something he certainly needed.

"At any rate, sir, it may help for you to be here, I don't know. ..He needs support from someone close enough for him to appreciate it."

"Is there something you're not telling me, Elena?" Rufus asked.

"Reno almost died, sir. ..and Rude had gone for his brother. ..I. ..I'm not sure how Reno's going to take it if he discovers Rude wasn't where he is going to feel for sure he should have been. And of course with the mess over the past few days sir. ..neither Tseng nor I are truly certain how to handle it when he does awaken." She softly explains everything she knew, including Rude's resentment over Reno wanting things to return to some sort of normalcy.

Rufus frowned. "Where is Rude now?"

"Sleeping next to him."

"His condition?" Rufus asked. He wanted to know all aspects of the situation before he decided if his presense was indeed needed.

"Unconscious, sir. ..they say. ..really if he's not going to fight. ..he may never awaken. .He's not at his best after the past several months, sir, and I'm not totally sure how much inner resiliance he has left. I'm hoping maybe your presence might help."

Rufus sighed. "Give me an hour." With that, he hung up.

Elena sat back, watching Reno, he was so still, face and limbs slack, they had entubated him after the second crash, and to see him with that tube down his throat was a very frighteneing thing. It felt WRONG to her.

Tseng paced outside the door, his thoughts in a jumble. Between finding out his child was not only in the area, but in a GANG, and the problems with Reno and Rude... the stress was starting to give him wrinkles. He knew it.

Elena herself felt the same. she got up and strode to the door as the president strode up. "Sir." she said. "Thank you."

"I want a full report." It was all Rufus said, the tension of the past while finally starting to show on his normally calm exterior.

Elena gestured as she told him everything she knew. ..from the incident with Josh, this Krastof who had been creating problems with the custody battle, then his connection with both Reno's and Rude's pasts. ..and how he'd poisoned Reno and Eric in order to deliver an example to the younger ones, the gang leader's subsequent death, flinching as she included how they'd found reno in the alleyway.

"I see." Rufus turned to Tseng. "And what is Rude's current mental state? Has he fully recovered"  
M "Not so far as I know sir. ..and whether he has when he is awakened. ..well, we will not know until then. He collapsed in exhaustion soon after we brought Reno in."

"I see," Rufus repeated. It appeared things were not boding well, but he could tell that Tseng was holding something back.

"My son was among the gang, sir. . .he stabbed me, saying it was too late. .. he is lost to me, as I had suspected he was."

The blonde took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm... I'm sorry..." What more could he say? He pulled Tseng close, just holding him against his body.

Tseng leaned his head against the younger man's, taking in one shaky breath as well.

"His memories must resurface soon, they just have to. ..Reno needs him, now more than any other time. Rude was always his wall, the one to lean against when he had no one. This couldn't have been easy for him at all." Elena sighs, shaking her head, she loved both of them like brothers, but it was hard not to take Reno's part in this one, his pain had been so much more obvious.

"We must give those memories time. If Rude is unable to fulfill his role as Reno's wall... one of us will have to be the surrogate." Rufus looked at his two remaining, fully capable Turks.

Reno moaned softly around the tube that was breathing for him, as if fighting against it, not to breath on his own, but willing himself not to, he was tired, until a voice cried out from the doorway. "Papa. .."

"I came to check up on the boys. .." Tifa started before gasping at the sight that met her eyes. "Denzel. ..take Rennan out, please. .."

Rufus took a deep breath, watching the elder boy nearly drag the little redhead away, saying something about cookies.

But hearing Rennan seemed to have helped, for he had stopped fighting the equippment and seemed to have sunk into something other than the oblivion-inducing comatose state, he had even had a little of his color return, even if not very much.

Rufus went to sit by Reno's hospital bed, folding his hands up in a sort of praying motion and placing his head on his hands. No, he wasn't praying. It was just... easier to think in that position.

"Come on, you crazy bastard" Tifa whispered as she knelt next to Rufus. "You're better than this, dammit. . .I know you're tired. ..believe I know how tired you are, but think of your son. ..and think of how badly Rude would feel once his memory does come back if you leave him like this. .." She looked up suddenly to see a large, dark haired form in the door, it was Rude's little brother, now awake, even though he still appeared pale and shaky, she nodded to him, and then cocked her head as if to ask what he was doing in here, as last she'd heard Eric really didn't care for Reno very much at all.

Eric didn't have the energy for the snide comment that wanted to slip past his lips, so he let it go with a rather Rude-like grunt as he hobbled towards his brother's bed.

Tifa simply shook her head, sqqueezing Reno's hand gently, then looked over at Rude, she reached over and gave his a gentle squeeze as well, they were connected, in a way, through her.

Eric just looked down at Rude, finally speaking softly. "Bastard. Now I owe you." Had Rude been awake, or even partially awake, he would have known that the words were not as malicious as they sounded. It had always been like that between Eric and Rude.

"You love your brother more than you let on, don't you?" The wordss were soft, and honestly spoken.

"He is my brother." As if those four little words said it all. Eric's tone, however, spoke volumes that he did not want to discuss the issue further.

Tifa nodded, then simply smiled. "Like he loves the little guy here, he just doesn't remember that right now. ..you look like you're still feeling some of the effects. ..that stuff was a fairly nasty neurotoxin."

"Why do you care?" Were it any other broad with a nice rack, Eric would've been far nicer. But he'd heard of this Tifa chick.

"Because I care about your brother, and I care about him," She tilts her head in Reno's direction "and you're his family, of course I care, just because I'm a fighter doesn't mean I can't care about others."

"Rudy was right," Eric muttered, his head turned and face in shadow as he mouthed, but didn't voice, the words, 'Butch ass bitch.'

Tifa simply let it slide off her back, as she always did, it was hard to get her riled, before turning back to the smaller and more ill of the couple, willing him to awaken, to fight back.

"Tifa?" Denzel asked, poking his head around the doorway.

"Yes, Denzel?"

"Rennan wants to come in and see his dad, now."

"I guess so. ..but let him know he has to be quiet, and careful, ok, his dad's real sick right now."

Denzel turned, relaying the message verbatim to the small redhead.

Tifa gestured Rennan in, noting how the little boy drew back at the way his father looked, face pale, with the tube down his throat, and all the tubing and wiring attached to him that were giving him air and nutrition and were monitoring his vital signs.

The little boy looked up. "Is Papa dead?"

"No, he's just really, really sick.. .and he's really tired. ..tired enough that fighting to get better is hard.

A frown passed the child's features. "And Papa Rude? Is he dead?"

"No, he's just sleeping. ..but I still don't know how much he remembers yet."

"So... they're not going to die?" Ah, the simplistic wisdom of children.

"Rude should wake up soon enough. .." She wasn't sure what to tell him about Reno. ..the lithe redhead could possibly die, but she didn't want to worry Rennan. "Your papa just needs someone to help him fight, is all."

The boy was quick, quicker than most would take him for. In a moment he had crawled onto his father's bed, sat on his knees and yelled at his face. "Papa! I'll fight for you!"

Reno's eyes flickered, just for a moment, as if his body was marshalling energy, trying to awaken, but it simply wasn't there as yet.  
"Pa-pa!" With each syllable, Rennan smacked his hands on the bed, as if his bouncing insistence could rouse the elder redhead.

A single finger twitch, before it all fell slack, as if that tiny effort had exhausted him.

"He's trying sweetheart, but he's really, really tired. ..here, sit with me, sweetheart. ..when he's strong enough he'll wake up, I promise."

"But I wanna talk to him no-ow..." Rennan whined. Ah, the abilities of children to turn single syllabled words into multi-syllabled ones.

"I know, sweetie, but he can't now. .."

Reno's eyes squinted as if to say "Come on, quiet, people're trying ta sleep here."

Tifa turned to hear a couple of mutters from Rude's direction, but couldn't understand what he'd said.

There was a small laugh from Eric, who'd managed to hear exactly what Rude had mumbled in his sleep.

Elena looked over at Eric questioningly. with a brow raised, as if to ask what he'd said.

Eric just mouthed the words to her, and if she didn't catch them... her problem. 'If you wake me up again, Reno, I'm going to stuff your disgusting socks in your mouth.'

Elena laughed. ...maybe he was remembering some. She then whispered them into Reno's ear, and they actually elicted a tiny grin around the tube.

Eric leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. Once his brother woke up and he insulted him good and proper, he was out... and on the first plane back to Costa.

Elena whispered "That's right, keep remembering more, big guy. . .you have someone who could really use your encouragment right now. . .besides, your brother's waiting on your snappy comment." The little blond turned to Eric with a smirk, she knew him better than she let on.  
There was a 'fuck you' in Elena's future from the irritated Eric. Right about... now.

Elena just did what Reno would if he were awake and himself, giving Eric a fully outstretched tounge.

Oh ho? She wanted to play that way, huh? Eric grinned slyly. "Got a better place for that, babe. Why don't you come over here and I'll show ya."

"Be glad to but Sam would not be happy."

"Bein' with one of my brothers never stopped a girl before."

Elena laughs, loud enough to wake the dead, simply because for once she'd find someone of her own mettle. She yanks him by his shirt, planting her lips right on his.

Eric kisses her back, and after a moment, his hand reaches up to goose her breast. When she jumped back with a squeal, he grinned like the charmer he could be. "A little lower was what I had in mind."

Elena just winked and thought to herself a moment. "Maybe it would bring back some memories, but I think your brother would kill me."

Eric snorted, reaching out to grab her pants by the belt. He pulled her towards him, recapturing her lips. "Like it better when you don't talk," he mumbled against her lips.

Elena actually melted into him, peering over at Rude who looked to be slowly awakening, then winked, putting on the best show she was able.

"Fucking A, Eric," Rude mumbled. "Do you have to do that right there? Jesus fucking Christ..."

Elena laughed "Morning, Rude. .."

Reno's fingers twitched again at the sound of that deep, whiskey on velvet voice he knew so well.

"Can't you keep your fucking hands to yourself?" Rude complained, sliding his pillow over his head. "No respect for anyone. None for me, none for my coworkers..."

Reno's hand lifted from the bed, reaching for the much loved voice, a soft groan sounding from deep in his chest.

"Guys. ..look. ." she whispered almost reverantly. "Rude, keep talking. .."

"I'm not speaking to you, Elena." Rude groaned from under the pillow. "Because if I keep speaking, I might just call you a whore for making out with both of my brothers. And I'm sure neither of us want that."

Reno's eyes opened at that last sentence, and he reached for his pillow, flinging it at Rude in the teasing manner he had when they'd first moved in together.

Rude's head stayed under his pillow. "Nobody asked you either, Reno." He gestured grandly towards where the pillow came from.  
The respiritory therapist came in just then "I see someone's awake, and I think it's safe to take you off this thing, would you like that, Mr Tarshil?"

That got an enthusiastic nod from him, though he gave a soft whimper, as it sent a shooting pain through his head. With a cough when he was ordered the tube came sliding out. "Yeah, well it doesn't mean I love you any less, aibou, so get used to it. "The voice was rough, like sandpaper. "And that was some nasty ass shit, m'head feels like someone stuck onea your bombs in it."

Rude's good mood quickly soured as he remembered just how poorly he'd been treating everyone. On top of that... he was still a little pissy about everyone's being so pushy about him remembering. It was generally just not the greatest feeling. But no one really needed to know that.

"So, babe, how long until you can't fuck because of this?" Eric asked Elena, splaying his hand over her abdomen."Rude. ..come over here a sec, please."

"As soon as I get outta here. ..you wanna fuck?" Elena's eyes were teasing.

Rude pulled the pillow down harder over his head. "I don't need to hear this..."

Eric's smile said more than words ever could.  
Michael TW Kelley: "Rude. .." Reno said in that slightly breathless tone. "If you don't kiss me right now I'm gonna just die, so get your ass over here."

"Can't move. Will see brother making out with Elena. Don't wanna see that." Rude's words were muffled as he pulled the pillow still tighter against his head.

"Then get over here with the pillow over your head. ..we'll give 'em a run for their money."

Elena laughed and hauled Eric out of the room.

"Thanks for the piece of ass, bro." Eric's parting words were punctuated by his pinching of Elena's ass.

"They're gone, now kiss me for fuck's sake."

Rude slowly peeked out from under the safety of the pillow. Not seeing his brother whoring it up with Elena, he just as slowly crawled off the bed, as if he were expecting them to run back into the room naked, jump on the bed in front of him, and start going at it like chocobos.

Reno sat up, all joking gone now, his eyes showing how badly he'd missed Rude's. ..well, everything. ...he patted a spot on the bed next to him.

Rude moved to stand next to Reno's bed, his eyes occassionally darting towards the door for the pair that had left. He pressed a tiny peck to Reno's lips before pulling away. "Brush your teeth," he commanded.

"Help to the bathroom? I don't know if m'legs'll carry me right now." He did try to get up and immediatly his knees crumpled.

Rude nearly carried Reno into the bathroom, propping him up against his body so he could do his business.

Reno as soon as his breath was freshened turned, leaning his head in, his fingertips tentivly tracing Rude's goatee. ..."I've missed the Hell outta you, ya know. .." his eyes mist over, but that smiile, that soft, shy smile, stays affixed.

"So there's no more hell in me," Rude quipped, leaning in for a chaste kiss.

Reno tried to keep it chaste, Gods, did he, but he couldn't, a soft, questing tounge sought entrance. ..those eyes overflowing, salt tainting his tounge. ..

Rude pulled away after a minute. "Give me... give me a few days," he asked.

Reno nodded, leaning against him. .."'sgonna take that long before I can do any more than kissin' anyway. ..fucking Kraptoff" and Rude would suddenly get a flash of an 11 year old Reno calling the big gangster the same thing.

Rude just rolled his eyes and shook his head, dipping down for another quick kiss before helping Reno back into the room.

Reno settled into bed, eyes drooping, he gave the boss and Tseng a look to say he was ok now, and a tired thumbs up. before whispering "I love you, big guy. ..you're mine. ..never forget it."

"Yeah, I know." Rude pressed a kiss to Reno's forehead before he returned to his own bed, body and mind still exhausted.

"I know it's a lot ta ask. ..but can we cuddle. ..not askin' for anythin' else. ..just. ..cuddle."

Rude sighed, then patted the bed in front of him. He was already comfortable and really didn't feel like moving.

Reno army crawled across, yanking himself into the bed with main strength. . .then settling his head on Rude's chest. ..eyes beginning to slide closed.

A deep breath rose and fell from Rude's chest before he fell into the oblivion of sleep. 


	43. Chapter 43

Reno murmered as he began to fall asleep. "It was you I came back for. . .you an' Rennan. ..was tired. ..every man's got his breaking point, an' after the insanity o' the past year. ..I'd come pretty close to mine. I love ya, man" He then drifts off, safe against his aibou.

Rude just sighed as he watched the sun rise. He'd done so much sleeping the past however many days, he just couldn't sleep anymore. Which, of course, lead to his mind racing about nearly everything. What irritated him the most, the thing he kept coming back to, was that although there were still quite a few gaps in his memories, all the emotions he should have associated with them just... weren't there. He just... wasn't feeling much of anything, actually. However, he knew he had to at least put on a good show, otherwise he'd end up hurting Reno more than he already had.

Reno when he finally woke up pulled himself to shaky feet. .he knew something was wrong, he could always tell. ..what they'd had. ..was gone and that hurt more than any words could say. ..how to start over, when he had no idea how?

"Morning," Rude said as he stretched. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine. .." His voice was flat, near emotionless. ..as if he knew more than he let on.

"That's good," he answered, the false cheer in his voice annoying even to him. Rude pulled on a pair of sweat pants that had been in that overnight bag, then added an old t-shirt and slippers, stretching and scratching before he made his way to the door of their room. "Going to get some coffee. Want some?" he asked.  
He nodded, before heading in for a shower. ..washing up. ..getting rid of the dirt of a full day and a half almost of being comatose.

Rude returned with the coffee quickly, sitting on the bed with his own cup and the morning's newspaper while he waited for Reno.

Reno as he steps out in his towel with a pair of sweat pants slung low over his hips he hissed as he sat, he was pretty damn sore, Hell, sore, wasn't the word for it, in a pretty good amount of pain was more like it. "Thanks yo." again, that quiet, flat tone.  
Rude would however notice that there was on his night table under where the paper had been a copy of the concerto he'd written, with the title marked on the label of the tape. ..he'd taped it while playing it that first time. ..as well as Rude's favorite book of myths, he'd had Elena bring it up.

As Rude flipped through the sports section of the paper, he mumbled, "Hey... the Pugs are playing the Moogles tonight..." It was a blatently bad attempt at conversation, but hey, it was something.

"Yeah. .. Moogles'll wipe the floor with 'em. ..they always do." His voice had some tny amount of spark to it, he was trying to, but he had so little left.

"You never know. Every team has to get a win at least once a season..." Yes, sports. They were guys; they could bond over something guy-ish, right? Right?

"Doubt it, Moogles got that one cousin o' Lockhart's pitchin'."

"And the Pugs just traded for the best hitter from the draft. They've got a chance..." Rude swallowed down the sigh that threatened to break free from him. They were talking, they weren't fighting, so what was his problem?

His problem? He needed everything they'd had, it was gone. ..even fighting would be better than this. ..he didn't even know how to describe it. ..this pale imitation of all they'd had.

That sigh had finally escaped as Rude flipped the sports page over to read the back. What was the use? He wasn't really getting anywhere with the crappy small talk anyway.

"I'm gonna get a smoke." he announced, before semi-staggering out the door.  
Tseng turned to Rufus as the slender redhead strode by them. "It seems. ..the memory has returned. ..but the emotion is gone." He shook his head. ..he knew how badly it would hurt Rufus if that was the case with them, or hurt him if it were vice verse.

A grunt slid past Rude's lips as he flipped to the current events section of the paper. He hadn't been invited to tag along, and truth be told... it would probably just make things worse.

"Professional opinion, Tseng," Rufus stated plainly. He could no keep giving these two such leeway if he was to rebuild ShinRa Company. "How effective do you believe they will be?"

"As partners? They seem to work together fine. ..but on any deeper level, I am not certain."

"I need effective Turks, Tseng," Rufus said quietly. He felt he had indulged the pair far more than anyone else possibly could. It stung that he had to ask, but he couldn't forget all that they were working for.

"I understand sir. ..the most we can do. ..is partner Reno with Elena for a time, I think. .maybe if we seperate them the rest of the gaps will fill themselves in. ..Reno however. . .is becoming deeply depressed. ..his life, for all he can see, is falling apart."

"I want Reno on a mandatory antidepressant regimine," Rufus ordered. "Other than that, do what you have to in order to insure their effectiveness as Turks is NOT compromised. I do not have enough manpower as it is, Tseng. I do NOT need that number to go any further down."

"Yes sir, my reccommendation is to partner him with Elena for a time. ..partner Rude with myself. .help the gaps fall into plac. ..though they say hypnosis works well for filling in the gaps, but I doubt he would agree to it without being ordered."

"Save that for a last resort, Tseng," Rufus said. He didn't mention how Rude's lack of memories could possibly be an asset to the cause. Without prejudices, he could be molded into a better Turk than he already was.  
"Yes sir." he watched the slender redhead outside. ..wondering if medication was even that good an idea. ..it didn't fix the deeper problems.

Rufus' next words were quiet, as if spoken only as a soft exhale more than actual words. "You must think me heartless."

"Sir. ..you are doing your best, I know. ..part of you still loves him, I know this. ..part of you. . .understands his pain. but how to solve the problem without pulling them apart? How to. ..bring them back to where they were? I do not know how."

"If they must be pulled apart..." Rufus said, his tone far harsher than he originally wanted it to be. "I... I have a company to rebuild. I... I can't waste my time on issues that may not pan out as well as I want them to. ShinRa has fallen from grace, and it will take many man hours and far more capital that I currently have to complete the return to greatness..." He just hoped Tseng understood what he was trying to get at.

"I understand sir. .but is it worth the cost? How many more lives must be destroyed before the dream becomes reality?" He was always thinking of that cost in lives. ..always..."He is falling because he is grieving the loss of something more dear to him than his own life. ..we must find a way to bring them together again. .or he WILL be lost to us, I can almost guarantee that."

Rufus' eyes flashed with a dangerous passion. "You do not understand, Tseng. To return the legacy left me to greatness would far exceed anything any member of the ShinRa Company has ever done. To regain that place in history... It is worth any cost. Even the cost of my own life"  
"Even the cost of one who has been with you since the beginning. . .stood by through all of it?" He looks outside again, that form hunched, leaning against a wall. "I have indulged them enough," Rufus said, his tone casting that edge of finality to the discussion.

Tseng sighed, walking off. just thinking. ..then strode out to where Reno was, setting an arm across his shoulder, he looked tp be speaking to him, the younger man simply shook his head and strode back inside, no, medicine would heal the deeper ache of loss, perhaps help him function, but only his partner could heal the pain, and he wasn't able.

Rufus turned on his heels, glancing down at his watch. He had a meeting with Reeve in two hours regarding his intent to add some funding to the WRO in exchange for a few... favours.

Reno looked up now as Elena came in, waving to her. "Hey. .."

"Hey," she replied, plopping herself down on the curb and pulling out the pack of cigarettes she'd stolen from Rude.

"Hurts. ..everything friggin' hurts. ..and it's all gone. ..everything we had is gone and I have no idea how to deal with it or bring it back. ."

Elena sighed. She was, for once, out of answers. The only thing she could come up with was, "I know."

"I came back. ...for him and for Rennan and what the FUCK do I get. .THIS?" He didn't even have the energy to punch the wall anymore.

Another sigh, accompanied by an exhale of smoke. "I know. I know, and I'm sorry."

He got up, starting to pace, he didn't even have any tears left, just this deep, overwhelming hurt. .. "Just. ..stop the fucking world, I want off. ..I'm done, I'm fuckin' through. .."

Elena stood, her voice soft. "You don't mean that."

"I do.. .I've never meant anything more in my life.. .except when I told him I loved him." He sighed, and when he looked at her she would see empty, souless eyes, the pain was even too deep for it to show there.

The half-smoked cigarette was flicked away as she pulled Reno against her. She had no words, no words at all, that she could find that could possibly help him feel better. So, instead, she just held him close, not letting him break her hold even when he tried.

"When I said. ..I didn't want to be here without him I meant it. ..Rennan's the only reason I haven't done anything stupid."

"I know." It was whispered harshly as the tears she felt she couldn't muster fell hotly down her cheeks.

Finally he pulled away. ..walking back inside, settling onto his bed, rolling over and slipping into sleep.

Tseng shot Elena a look then spoke "If we can't Rude to remember. ..we're going to lose them both." he spoke from the doorway.

"Do you think I don't know that?" Elena snapped, tears still sliding down her face. However, after a moment's thought, she quickly composed herself, wiping her hands across her eyes and sniffling. "I'm... I'm sorry, sir. I forgot myself."

"Understood, Elena. ..Rufus is so focused on rebuilding right now...he forgets what it will cost."

There was a hopeless sigh between them, voiced only by the blonde. "What do we do now, sir?" she asked, looking for guidance in the strongest man she'd ever known.

"I told him perhaps hypnosis would bring it back, but he will not order it unless something desperate happens."

Elena frowned. "Then... what else is there?"

"Time...or Reno doing desperate, which he is dangerously close to doing."

"We... we can't let him do that," she said, tone breathless with worry.

"It may take that for Rude to realize what he stands to lose. ..he is notoriously stubborn, something we both know.'"

"But, if Rude DOESN'T realize..." The unspoken words hung heavily in the air.

"Then Reno is lost to us either way. .."

Elena sighed, the sound defeated.

"If it were just this, he would be able to handle it. ..but this. ..combined with the past year. ..it has depleted his inner strength."

Finally, the thing that had always bothered Elena about Reno came out. "Why can't he realize that Rude's not the only guy out there who would give him the time of day? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for them, but"  
"Because his life has become so intertwined there is no loosing it from Rude's without losing part of himself. ..it happens that way sometimes."

Elena sighed petulantly. "I guess I just don't understand them."

"I confess I do not sometimes either. .."

It was then that Rude walked past them, stepping towards one of the stone benches there were stationed around the hospital's entrance.

Tseng shot a look at Elena, them noted that Reno's bed was empty. ..the drawer open, the bottle of hypnocil that had been in it gone. "Elena.. .perhaps you should go check on Reno."

Elena frowned, but did as she was asked. She poked her head into the room. "Reno?" she asked softly, glancing around the dark room.  
Reno laid on the floor, the bottle next his hand. ..a few spare pills scattered about the bottle...he'd meant what he'd said. His hair was spread in a crimson curtain around his head, his eyes closed, breathing so shallow you'd think he wasn't. .. even one acted fairly fast, but the number he'd taken. ..very fast.

"Reno!" Elena shouted, slamming her fist against the nurse call button as she dropped to her knees next to the redhead.

No response, not even a whimper. ..everything he'd fought for was gone. ..all of it.

Tseng heard the yell, ran inside. . .his look to Rude held no trace of reproach, only questioning.

Rude walked inside slowly, unsure as to what all the fuss was about.  
Tseng's face said it aall. .."Look. ..look at what all of this has brought about. ..don't you care?"

Did he care? Did he really? He just shook his head, unbelieving as he watched.

Reno's face was pale, lifeless. . .just like the night he'd come in after the night the plate had fallen, the bottle of vicoden by his hand. . .the nurses getting him up into the bed, doctors rushing about, getting the stomach pump up, injecting medicines to counteract the sedative effects of the drug.  
Rude just stared, a frown creasing his face as he did.

Tseng just sighed, shaking his head as he spoke. "So this is what 6 years comes to. ..are you really so unfeeling that you can feel nothing for him?" the words were cutting, but he felt the man needed a serious wake up call.

"Shut up!" Rude snarled, stalking forward and gripping the metal tubing that served as a footboard to the hospital bed. "You idiot! You goddamn fucking idiot! What the fuck did you think you were doing? You promised me you would never fucking do this ever again, and here I am, watching you try to fucking kill yourself over what? Nothing. No-fucking-thing." His words were harshly spoken to the unconscious redhead.

"Over a year that would have broken most, Rude. ..that is what. ..he needed you. .still needs you. ..and you have been cold to him. .."

His grip was so tight on the metal tubing that it was beginning to warp slightly. "Shut up!" Rude snarled over at Tseng again, before turning his attention back to Reno. "When are you going to fucking realize that I'm not fucking worth it?! You can fucking walk away, you know that, you know there's nothing of mine holding you here against your will. You think the only fucking way to get out of it is to fucking kill yourself? What kind of fucking Turk lets himself be offed by a fucking bottle of pills?"

"You were the only one he wanted.. .always the only one he wanted, you are worth it to him. .." with that Tseng walked out. .. leaving Rude there alone to come to terms with what he stood to lose.

With a loud roar, Rude spun around, smashing his fist through the drywall in the nearest wall. Before he could spin back around, four large men held him, trying to restrain him.  
Silent tears tracked down the face of the one on the bed, he was unconscious yes, but he could still hear. ..still somewhat feel even if he could not communicate with the outside world except through that. He never wanted to walk away. ..but he wanted this entire year to just be rewound. .. or at least the past wekk. ..he wanted his life as it had been back, when he had had the one with him and behind him that kept him strong.

"Let me go! Let me the fuck go!" Rude was dragged bodily from the room, literally kicking and screaming the whole time.

"Please. .." the barest whisper...only semi-conscious. "Let him stay. .."

A sedative was administered, and within minutes, Rude was as docile as a child.

The eyes were glassy with the drugs still pulling at his system. ..but he looked over at Rude. "You are worth it, dammit. ..you're Mi Corazon. ..and I made a promise not to ever do this again. ..but you made a promise not to abandon me again. ..."

"I didn't abandon you on purpose," he said quietly, his eyes going a little woobly from the sedative.

"I know. .but shit. ..you think someone can hold out forever. ..? this past year woulda broken the strongest, I only made it through because YOU were with me every step of the way. ..I need you. ..need you to fucking be there.. .but you can't be, and I don't know how to get through what happened back there without you."

Rude averted his eyes and said nothing. What really could he say?

"He raped me with a fucking rifle! I. .. " and he choked off. "I watched a fucking 11 year old kid die because Krastof stuck a fucking gun up his ass and fucking shot his god damn guts out through his mouth!"

"Not. My. Fault," Rude said plainly.

"No, it wasn't. .." He shook his head eyelids drooping, he was still so tired. ..but he had to stay awake, he had to.

"I don't know what you expect of me anymore. It's... it's really hard trying to read you when I'm also worrying about myself..." Rude's words went to the heart of the matter. But really, how could he be expected to recover when deep down he was so worried about Reno?

"I just. ..want to know I'll still have you when all this is said and done. ..I'm sorry about. ..this. ..I know it's stupid, yo. .. .but shit. ..every man's got a breaking point and I hit mine. .."

Rude had nothing to say. Which wasn't to say that he didn't actually have anything to say, it's just that regardless of how he said it, it was going to be taken the wrong way, and that was something they DIDN'T need right now.

Reno turned over then taking the SILENCE entirely the wrong way. .. "I guess. ... I got my answer right there."

Rude sighed, placing his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. "It's not that," was all he said. He knew it. It really didn't matter what he did or tried to do, it wasn't going to be taken the way it was meant to.  
"Then you tell me. .. you fucking tell me, you're dealing with a desperate fucking man here. ..one who has had the shittiest fucking year of his life, one which YOU are lucky enough not to remember a fucking lot of!"

"Do you think I've had a wonderful time at this? I'm not the masochist here, Reno," Rude spoke evenly, his tone low. Okay, so the blow was below the belt, but Reno was fighting just as dirty. "Have you ever woken up in the morning with no idea who you are? At least you could remember your own name, Reno. Even now, there's quite a few fucking holes, but I get the gist of it. And from that, let me tell you, I haven't had the best fucking year ever either."

"you didn't fucking get raped by your own damn cat on top of more than one person I'm suprised I haven't gotten some damn social disease from! " He was shouting, tears streaming down his face the whole time. "Then watch your damn husband get shot by a crazy obsessive son of a bitch and have him die in front of you then forget who the Hell he was. ..then go after his fucking brother while you almost fucking died"

"And if I hadn't gone after Eric YOU would've fucking died!" Screaming match? Rude could do a screaming match.

Reno just curled up tighter. ..his whole body shaking. ..he couldn't shout anymore, but his emotional state was too fragile to do much else. ..his eyes closing as he feels the rifle barrel again, his hands going to the sides of his head. .. mouth opening in a soundless scream.

Rude just sat there, his head still in his hands, eyes squeezed shut as he tried not to let all that anger he held inside out. The last thing he needed to do was direct that fury against the redhead.

"Just do it, go ahead fucking scream at me, fucking pound me into paste, I know after the Hell I put you through I deserve it, right?"

"Shut up," he said, his voice telling just how much he was holding back. "Just... just shut up."

Reno had no escape, he was too weak to walk on his own, all he could do was sit with his body so tense it might snap feeling the undercurrents in the air. "You want to. ..you fucking mistake me for HIM anyway,..." it was a bare hiss. He hated himself, he hated life, and he almost subconsciously wanted Rude to punish him for what he felt he did wrong. ..but then he stopped goading him, going silent and crumpling to the matterss as the stress became too much and his body went into sensory overload-induced unconsciousness.

Whatever Rude had wanted to say in response was summed up in the roar that left his lips. He stalked quickly away from Reno, out the room and down the hallway, his steps purposeful but not taking him anywhere in particular. So long as he was anywhere but there, he was happy.

Tseng watched him walk off, looking to Elena, they both had heard the entire fight.

Elena just shook her head. How had things gotten to that point?

"We should leave Rude be until he calms down. ..Reno is hurting, but he has no idea how to express it without pushing away everyone that cares about him. ..he is testing limits with Rude now to see if he is going to stay."

"And the last thing Rude wants is to be tested..." Elena finished. Things were just spiralling further and further out of control, it seemed.  
"He needs him, badly. ..but he does not know how to tell him that. ..Rude is so unsure of himself right now he doesn't know how to find himself again."

"What a mess," Elena said.

"Very much so. .this is. ..the culmination of a year of trauma."

Elena shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "So... now what, sir?"

"We deal with it. ..in the manner it should have been. with help and one trauma at a time."

"Which one first?" she asked, ready to take on whatever challenge they would have to deal with first. They were Turks, after all.

"The initial attack that started this whole spiral. ..I suspect he was assaulted more than physically during it. ..If you notice.. .he was never quite the same after it. I suspect your cousin and his partner raped him, but I have no evidence of it except for his actions SINCE that attack.

"Can we not discuss my family's shortcomings, sir? Please?" Elena felt partially responsible for all that... even though she new she wasn't.

"It was not your fault, Elena. ..but the aftermath must be dealt with, and I have doubts that it ever was, by either one of them."

"They don't seem to do dealing with very well..." she muttered.

"They skirt around the issue. . ."

"And lie by omission about the entire thing," Elena finished.

"Exactly. It must be dealt with. . .Rude is afraid by bringing it up he will traumatize Reno all over again. ..but it must be brought up, and worked through, or Rude will end up alienating himself from EVERYONE and Reno will end up dead."

Elena sighed. "So... what do we do, sir?"

"We bring in a professional, order them both to see him TOGETHER, and get it all out in the open."

"But they've BEEN to professionals, sir," Elena protested. "And it hasn't worked."

"He went ONE time, and considered the issue solved. ..and they did not deal with the underlying trauma that has never been resolved."

"I know, but... how are we going to get them to go more than once without physically dragging both of them there?" she asked.

"I think. .Reno is beginning to understand that unless he solves his own problems the problems BETWEEN them never will be."

"And the big guy?" She knew full well that Rude thought himself perfectly mentally healthy.

"He has issues that must be dealt with as well, but at least if Reno deals with the trauma things might return to some sort of even keel."

Elena nodded, then waited for Tseng to lay out their plan of attack.

"We could tell him we will bury the suicide attempt so that it will not be factored into the custody affair so long as he seeks counseling for all of the trauma he has experienced in the past year"

Elena's eyes widened. "The custody case," she said. She'd forgotten all about that happening at the end of the week. Would... Could Reno be prepared for it, mentally?

"He will focus for Rennan's sake, he has done it before."

"I hope so," she replied softly.

Reno when he finally awakened did so to two female faces practically glaring at him. ..one with a short blond bob, the other with long dark hair and tits just as big as he remembered.

"Male or female?" Tifa asked.

"And make the answer quick," Elena added. Both their tones left no room for arguement.

"What the Hell are you two talking about, Teef, Laney?"

"Who do you feel more comfortable with?" Tifa asked.

"Talking to, we mean," Elena finished. It was like they were the same person talking from two seperate bodies.

"Women for the most part. ..and has anyone seen the big guy? I. ." and he blushes." I really need to apologize, I went a little nuts for a while there."

"I think you'd be better off talking to someone else first," Elena said.

Reno just lowers his head. ..nodding. "There's so much. .he doesn't know about, ya know? I was afraid ta tell him beceausea how posessive he c'n be and I was. ..actually kinda afraid he think I brought it on m'self or something."

"Lying by omission is still lying, Reno," Tifa said softly.

"And you wouldn't want him to do that to you," Elena added.

"How do you tell him that sometimes. ..in the middle of the night when you curl up on yourself it's because you remember how dirty you felt afterward?" He shook a little saying that. "When you had to FORCE yourself to enjoy their touch again and now that you have no one else's will do?"

"Reno..." Tifa said softly.

"You still should have said something," Elena said just as softly. "It probably wouldn't have gotten this bad if you'd just spoken up about your feelings. Isn't that what you're always telling Rude"  
"I know.. shit..." and he draws in on himself, his arms crossing over his chest, rubbing his arms as if he was cold all the way through and simply could not get warm. "I hate. ..feeling so fucking dirty. .and worthless. ..and I guess subconsciously I figured at least if I push him away now in the end when he walks away. ..it might not totally destroy me. .." his eyes fill. ..his body was shaking hard. .. " I was wrong. ..fuck. ..was I wrong."

"If he was going to walk away just from that, he doesn't deserve you," Elena said.

"I'm going to go make arrangements," Tifa said softly, leaving quickly before Reno could question her about them.

"He doesn't know. .but I need. .need him to know but I don't know how to tell him. .." He looked up at Elena with the most helpeless eyes she would ever see from him. "I need him with me. ..but he doesnn't want to be. ..and of course I've always been too damn proud to beg for it."

"Of course he wants to be with you," Elena's words made it seem like Reno was just talking silly. "If he didn't, he wouldn't get all alpha male all the damn time."

He just sighed. ..his heart and mind were just. ..well pretty much scraped raw. "I guess. ..I should tell him huh? I mean. ..just calmly try to tell him all of it?"

"Not yet," she said. "I think you should probably tell someone else first." Elena wasn't being purposefully mysterious... she just thought it best not to get Reno's hackles up.

"As long as they don't put me in one of those places where you can't even have a comb for your hair 'sall good."

"Oh shush," Elena said with a dismissing hand. "She's just going to talk to you, help you work through it, and help you find the best way to tell the big guy, that's all. In and out only; no overnight stays."

He nodded, his eyes closing for a few moments. "I was a dumbass, eh? I just. ..was in so damn much pain here. .." he gestured to his temple "And here " he put a hand over his heart. "I just. ..well. ..I didn't know how to let it all out."

"Who else does that sound like?" Elena teased.

"Sounds a lot like Rude, actually." He chuckled ruefully.

"Now, we can only have one Rude at a time, so knock it off."

Reno chuckled again, then sighed "You know. .. he's not gonna have an easy timea it while all this shit's comin' up an out. ..I'm likely to scream n' yell n' throw shit n' maybe even cower when he touches me. ..but 'sall a part o' dealin' with it. ..I. ..just want him ta know what he's dealin' with and be prepared for it, ya know.""

"Like anyone ever has an easy time with you," she teased.

He laughed again. "Only since this whole fucked up year started. ..I wasn't that bad before that."

"Oh really?" she asked, lightly punching Reno's shoulder. "You never had to deal with the highlighter incident, or the cheese in a can incident, or..."

"Ok, so I like practical jokes." He looked up to see the large figure in the door, and his eyes spoke volumes. "I. .. I'm sorry, yo. ..an' I'm gonna do m'best ta fix it. ..soon. ..you'll know why I've been so damn difficult and crazy."

Rude grunted, then turned away. He could wait. He was a patient man. And he was most patient for things worth waiting for. 


	44. Chapter 44

Reno asked Elena when he has to go before he settled himself back in, it felt odd without having Rude curled around him, really, it was all of the little things he missed so much. Rude really was the only mal whose touch he trusted.

"She'll come here to get you. Don't worry about it. She's a really sweet woman," Elena said, going about her mother hen routine and tucking Reno into his bed.

He sighed, knowing he was NOT going to sleep well, since he had used the medication in his stupid action that the only good that had come from it was his own realization that he needed help and the making of a point, but he figured he deserved it. .. "Thanks, Laney."

"Any time, man, any time," she smiled. With a tiny salute and a big smile, she turned to leave the room.

He was awakened by a knock on his door about 3 or so hours later, he yawned and mumbled "come in."

"Mr. Tarshil?" a female voice asked before an equally female head peeked around the door.

"Yeah, m'awake." He looked fairly haggard, he had slept the sleep of pure exhaustion, and it had been nightmare riddled.

"My name's Dr. West. Your friends asked me to speak with you," she said, coming into the room slowly, then closing the door behind her rather gently. She was a tiny woman, petite in all aspects, and rather soft spoken.

He nodded, yawning softly. "A full year of unresolved trauma messes with your head." His tone was slightly sardonic.

"That is understandable," she said, pulling one of the random chairs in the room over by the bed so she could sit down. "However, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you seek counselling before"  
"A little pride, lil' fear. .. " he sighed shaking his head. He was a man, and men were proud creatures until you beat their minds down sufficiently after all.

"Pride shall be the downfall of many a man," Dr. West said with that tiny smile of hers. "But I don't think that's what we're here to talk about, is it?"

"More like. .everything that destroyed what little pride I got." His eyes and tone showed how heart weary he truly was.

"There's no shame in eating a slice of humble pie." This Dr. West was full of little quips. "Why don't you tell me about it? The WHOLE story, please. I need a full picture to help you work through it."

He started with the rally. ..the beating. ..then his cheeks pinkening as he related the things Rude didn't know. "Before he reached me. ..one of 'em held me down while the other. .. took advantage of me. ..the crowd gathered around was cheering him ON. .." he shuddered.. "I mean, sure, I've killed people in my line of work before, but to cheer on someone being. ." and he gulps, for some reason he can't put name to what had been done. "Well, that's just fuckin' sick. . .and the names. ." another shudder. "Fag, queer, lapdog, planet killer. ..shouting them over and over while. .."

"And how does that make you feel? Being called those names while you were being raped?" Dr. West, on the other hand, could put the name to what had been done.

"Dirty. ..like I. ..deserved it." His voice grew quiet. "Like I deserved every single thing those two bastards did. ..when the crowd told them Rude was there they just pulled my pants up and acted like they'd done nothing. .."

"Why do you feel you deserved to be degraded like that?"

"I'm sure it's in my records. .I was one of Corneo's pets. ..letting other men have sex with me for money. ..I was a fucking whore, why would I deserve the basic right to say no?"

"Because you're not a whore any longer?" she asked plainly.

"Tell his other pets that...the ones who weren't lucky enough to get away before they were turned completely unsalvagable. ." His tone grew bitter, oh yes, he had almost as much buried rage as Rude, only his was directed at himself, nto outwardly.

"You are not them."

"Only by sheer luck. .."

"Now, let's not be so bitter. You almost sound as if you want to go back to that lifestyle."

"Of course I don't. ." He protested, but maybe, some part of him felt he deserved it.

"And where did you stand within the heirarchy of 'pets'?" she asked, her fingers going up to make the quoting motion at the word 'pets'.

"The one that never behaved...The bad dog. .." He sighed, shaking his head. . .

"And you were punished frequently?" She assumed.

He nodded, then his eyes screwed shut when the memories hit, the pain, the screaming. .before the incident that had fueled his escape came out slowly, almost reluctantly. "He punished me. .because the guy didn't pay me, and hurt me on top of it. ..those things. ..have barbs there...I was 13 fucking years old! Who the HELL does that to a 13 year old?"

"Does what, Reno?" Her voice was like the soft whisper, giving hope in the surrounding dark.

"Who the HELL sets a full grown cuahl on a 13 year old boy?"

"Was that your first sexual experience?" Hey, she had to get all the details if she was going to help him out, right

Reno shook his head, eyes growing even wider, fist going into his mouth. ..and what his father did came spilling out in the voice of a scared and shaken 9 year old. . .ne who didn't know what he'd done to deserve being hurt.

"What your father did was not any fault of your own," she said carefully. "His actions were uncalled for, regardless of whatever it was that you did. That was not dicipline; it was abuse of the most heinous kind. You must realize that he was the wrong one, not you."

He nodded, but the look of terror did not subside for several long moments. ..it was the deepest memory, and the incident really that had been the beginning of his fall. Intellectually, he knew he was the one wronged, but it was claiming it for himself and truly believing it that was so hard.

"I know you still have negative feelings associated with this, however you must recognize those feelings for what they are. Claim them, acknowledge them..."

"He used to hit mom and I all the time...Glad the fucker's dead."

"Yes, keep going..." she encouraged.

"Every time he'd get drunk. .he. ..hit slammed Mom into a wall. ..I was 11 damn years old, and he punched her. .slammed her into the wall. ...hurt her so bad she's mentally a fucking 3 year old. ..do you know. ..how scarring it is to watch your own father turn your mother into a fucking vegetable?"

"He can't touch you or her any more."

He finally smiled. .that ghost having freed itself. ..the memories would always be there, but at least they wouldn't haunt his dreams anymore as they once had."The worst part really. ..of this particular mess is that I need him. ..but at the same time, I hate myself for needing him like I do."

"Need him like how?" There. That was one hurdle jumped. How many more to go?

His ring flashed in the dim light and he shook his head."Rude's. ..been my rock through so much. ..I don't know how I woulda made it through this year without him."

"And it bothers you that you feel you have to depend upon someone else for your own strength?" she asked.

"It does...'specially now when I don't have it."

"You need to find your own strenght, Reno."

"'snot easy. ..what I did have's gone. .."

"Not gone. Just... hidden." She smiled genuinely, her teeth showing just a little as she did so.  
He chuckled quietly. "He also thinks I'm a lil' crazy for keeping livewire."

"Livewire...? The... cuahl?" Dr. West was just a little confused by the timeline jumps in Reno's stories.

"Yeah." He chuckled again, his mind was zinging at random. ..

"What made you want to keep the animal?" she asked.

"He protected me during the whole mess. ..besides. .he. ..sorta thiought I was his mate. .. getting him to not follow would been pretty hard."

"And how do you think your partner feels about the cat?"

"Jealous...but he's warmed up to him some."

"I see," Dr. West began looking over the notes she'd been taking as Reno was talking and comparing them to the notes she had taken while going through his records. "Now, changing gears just a little, when you first met Mr. Urar, what was your honest opinion of him?"

"He was BIG...I think. ..I was all maybe 12...the Red Barons were usin' me as a mule ta carry their merchandise back and forth. ..but he saved my bacon one night. .." The story of the kids who had pinned him against the wall..Rude finding him there. ..chasing the kids off. .his hands unconsciously touching the scars on his cheeks as he relates the tale.

"And did you see him again after that? Prior to meeting him again in your current profession?"

He relates how he had seen him the night that Rude had been similarly used. . .how his hands had shaken so hard calling the paramedics on Rude's phone...

"And when you met him upon your entrance into the Turk Program... it says nothing here about previous affilitions with him. Why is that?" She could sense a tiny bit of fear associated with the bald man, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Most of our previous records are classified.. . we both had some scrapes with the law prior to our beiin' recruited.he had a prior assault. .I had some drug charges.. . a car theft or two."

"I'm not speaking of your records, Reno," Dr. West said knowingly. She could tell the redhead was dodging her question. "Why did you not mention that you were familiar with Mr. Urar?"

"I. . .honestly didn't even think about it." But he knew what she was looking for. ..the assault charge for Josh. ..he told her what he knew. .."I. ..I was a little creeped out that we looked so much alike."

"Creeped out how?" she asked. Creeped out could mean a lot of things.

"I wasn't sure if we ended up together because he wanted me. ..or because I reminded him of Josh."

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I was.. .miffed. I wanted him to want me for me. .I'm NOT Josh...I may be a little messed up, but I'm NOT psychotic."

"Do you truly believe that he chose to be serious with you because of your resemblance to--" she glanced into the file folder for the boy's name. "--Mr. Miller?"

"No...or at least I didn't used to, but during this crisis he called me by his name!"

"The resemblence truly is uncanny..." Dr. West muttered, then looked up from her file. She took her tiny wire-rimmed glasses off, setting them carefully on her lap. "It is very common for people, when trying to think quickly or when they are under stress, to call people by other people's names. Most times, it's just a misfire of the brian, like when a mother calls her daughter by the other daughter's name. Others, it actually means something."

"He said he wouldn't hurt me anymore as long as I behaved. ..what does THAT tell you?"

"It tells me that when I'm done helping you, he also needs my assistance." Her voice held an even tone as she spoke. It would be considered comforting to most. "Now, when he mistook you for Mr. Miller, what was his mental state, in your opinion?"

"He was amnesiac at the time. . .admittedly, I wasn't dealing with it well."

She paused, jotting down a note. They would have to come back to that. "What is it, exactly, that bothers you the most about Mr. Urar?"

"The fact that after the crisis...the memories are coming back. .but the emotion behnd them is gone..." He sighed. ."and he draws in on himself so I don't know how to get it back. .."

"Unfortunately, you must realize that there is no backwards movement in time, only forwards." She paused. "To say you want something back indicates some form of regret." She paused again, waiting for him to speak.

He looked down at his hands. "I want him to remember that he loved me. ..for me. ..and I want him to love me like that again." the words were soft, a bare whisper.

"That, unfortunately, is something only time will tell." Her voice was gentle. "Forcing the issue, as I'm sure you're aware, will not make it any better, and could possibly make it worse. I know you are an impatient man, but please remember that patience is a virtue."

He nodded. .they had reached one of the biggest hearts of the matter. . .he shifted a bit, he was still in a good amount of pain from the recent assault, and it made sitting for too long difficult.

"And if it never happens. ..no, I'm not gonna think that. ..if I do I'll just drive myself crazy and be back where I started or worse."

"Hope shines brightest when surrounded by darkness. I believe you know that as well, if not better, than I do." She smiled slightly.

He sort of tilted his head. "I heard him. ..screaming at me...after the attempt. .he was yelling about how I promised I'd never do that again. ..you see. ..just after the fall of the plate. ..he came home and found me laying on the floor with a bottle of vicodin next to me.. ." his eyes got distant a moment.

"Mr. Urar holds a lot of things inside him that he should acknowledge and release. He would be a much healthier man if he realized that," she said, tone almost reaching the point of hinting at off-handedness. "I believe you have picked up on his bad habit, as well."

He chuckled. "A little, maybe..." He knew maybe a lot, but the self-deprecating tone said he already knew that was coming.

"Perhaps more than you're willing to admit?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, prob'ly so."

"Going back to the first suicide attempt," Dr. West said, pen poised over her notes. "I realize that it was the stress of the plate incident that was the trigger, however, no one decides to kill themselves overnight."

"We'd been apart for almost 6 months prior to that. ..I was trying to protect him. .the big boss found out about us. .." it was well known how much of a bigot the old man was.

"And prior to those six months, were you living together?"

"Yes, ma'am. ..for 3 years almost.. .we'd been exclusive for 18 months prior to that."

She did a little mental math. "And how long after you had become employed by ShinRa Company before you two were together?"

"6 months. . ..or thereabouts."

"Now, what was it that made you gravitate towards Mr. Urar? Was it because of your history with him? Because you were partnered with him?"

"A little of both, though I didn't realize he was the same guy until a couple of months after we'd been partnered...I was pretty messed both physically and mentally from almost 2 years on the street when I was first recruited."

And now, to bring up the possiblitity that... "Did you consider him... convenient?"

"No. ..I'd..wanted him from the time he saved my life when I was 12..boyhood crush maybe . .but it was how it was."

"We've dealt with Mr. Urar's shortcomings, in your eyes, now tell me about his strengths. What is it that keeps you going back to him?"

"He's always been willin' ta have my back. ..Even when he didn't know me that night, he saved my damn life, racing in like some crazy knight. ..The way he chased those kids off me...it was incredible."

Dr. West could hear the admiration in Reno's tone. "And because he saved your life, you feel you owe him... what? Your love? Your adoration? Unconditional affection?" she questioned.

"It's not so much owe in that. ..it ws mutual. ..I always wanted it to be mutual. ..and he was so damn gentle afterward. ." again, his fingers went to trace the tattooed scars.

She pointed with her pen to Reno's face. "Those are from... the encounter? The first one?"

"Yes ma'am."

Dr. West frowned, not in any negative fashion, more so in thought than anything else. After a moment, she asked, "Do you believe those to be his marking you"  
"No. ..he did say they were likely to scar. .the kids who cut up my face used a broken bottle."

"But... whenever you speak of him, your fingers go to those marks." Nope, she didn't miss a beat.

"It's my very first memory of him, really. ..he saved my life, and I tattooed over them later. ..I never wanted to forget."

"Do you feel, even just a little, that in exchange for giving you your life, you're giving him your affections?" she asked. In her eyes, if that was the case, the debt was largely repaid, and Reno should discover if there was another reason he 'loved' Rude.

"Maya been once. ..but not now. ..I always felt. ..in a relationship. ..there should be a mutual thing. ..each of you willing to watch the other's backs, because it's what people who really love each other do."

"Then why did you get the scars tattooed over?"

"Like I said. ..m'first memory. .an' I knew...it was gonna be special. ..it's a constant reminder o' how we met."

"Or are they a constant reminder of what you think you owe him?" She had to make sure he wasn't with Rude just for some twisted sense of owing him.

"I paid my debt a long time ago. ..Now. ..I'm with him because I wanna be."

She glanced over her notes again. "Let's go back to when you were assaulted at the protest." She paused, looking up from her notes to look Reno in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell anyone about it at that time?"

"Partly shame. ..partly. ..I was afraid he'd blame me.. ." He looked down at his hands again.

"Why would he blame you?"

He looked up at her. "Becausea what I used ta do, I think. ..again. ..I thought. . .maybe I'd asked for it. .by bein' a little too public about it. .. a little too prouda Rude bein' mine, even if he was a guy. ..ya know despite the open attitudes now for the mosst part if you're too proud. .people say ya brught it on yourself." He bit his lip as he looked back down, being bi he'd taken a LOT of crap from a LOT of people over the course of his life, mostly because he felt it shouldn't matter what gender the one you loved was so long as they treatd you good.

"No one ASKS to be raped, Reno."

"I've always been in your face about my own preferences. .." he shook his head. "Not asked for it that way. ..but ya know. .that maybe by bein' too much in everyone's face about what I want and not caring what anyone else thought. . .being careless. .I got m'self into the mess."

"That does not excuse their actions."

He gestured a moment, trying to find something to help her understand what he was trying to convey. . then sighed, dropping his hands. .."No. ..it doesn''t." His mind returned to the first night. ..when he'd forced himself to act completely normal. .. even pushing for the sex to keep Rude from knowing what had happened.

"Being proud of who you are is nothing to be ashamed of, Reno." She carefully put her glasses back on to read over her notes as she spoke. "With everything you've been through, who wouldn't be proud to have made it this far?  
"Tell me Dad that." he pinned her with those green eyes set above bright pink-tinged cheeks he remembered the OTHER incident that had driven the molestation on his father's part, and he relates it "Dad caught me kissing my best friend. ..it was compltetly innocent. . .ya know, that exploration all kids just about to hit puberty do. .."

"How did that come about?" She questioned. She knew about basic adolescent experimentation, however she had a feeling there was something more to it than that.

"We'd gotten inta dad's liquor cabinet. ..an' Ricky an' I just ended up on the sofa an he started kissin' me. ..I discovered I liked it."

"Tell me about Ricky," she said, jotting down a few more notes.

"Ricky was Mideelian. .. mosta 'em are big boned an' tanned. .he was no exception. ..sweet as pie kid, too."

Big boned? Tan? Dr. West pierced Reno with a look then raised her eyebrow, figuring she didn't need so say a word.

"So I am sexually attracted to a particular type." he laughed a bit dryly

"And were you punished more for getting into something you weren't supposed to or for experimenting with your friend, which I might add, both of you were quite under aged?"

"He specifically stated 'I will not have a fag for a son' before. ..he did."

"I see." She paused. "And how did you feel about that event prior to your father's discovery?"

"I was enjoying myself. ..a lot."

"And shortly after your father's discovery?"

"He picked me up by my shirt collar, kicked Ricky out, and threw me against a wall. ..I still woulda kept going if he hadn't caught us."

"And how do you feel about the incident now? Better? Worse? About the same?"

"I.." he'd honestly never thought about it. "If yer askin' if he scared me straight...no. . .in fact, it made me MORE likely ta seek out male partners just ta spite his ass."

"Could that be the reason you're so 'flamboyant', as you say?"

"Prob'ly. ..I hated the fucker. ..he was not a father, he was a fuckin' sperm donor

A tiny frown made a tiny crease on the woman's face. "Do you feel that, in a way, you are living through what you could have had with this Ricky, currently with Mr. Urar?"

"Nah. ..Ricky was a different kid altogether. .lot more open. . .Rude's much more complicated. .not that I mind tryin' ta solve puzzles."

"Moving back forward again," she said with that tiny smile of hers. Dr. West knew that the best way to get things out in the open was to let them come out as streams of consciousness, rather than having her ask simple yes or no questions. "After the incident with the protest, and after you had convinced yourself that Mr. Urar was not out to injure you, sexually or mentally, how did you feel about the rape?"

"Ashamed...and a little afraid that he'd figure it out.. Rude's one smart cookie. .. it's hard to hide things from him. ..but once I'd gotten to where I craved his touch again I realized. ..that I would probably never be able to trust anyone else to touch me again."

"And does that bother you at all? That you trust this man implicitely?"

"It only did after I found out he assaulted Josh. ..but once we'd made the breakthrough. .. and moved past it.. . he proved to me he wouldn't hurt me."

Dr. West sat back. "In your opinion, what do you think your mental state is right now: healthy, could use some work, or commit me?"

"Use some work. ..but if you tried ta commit me, I'd likely fight ya tooth n' nail. ..those places, despite what I told Rude, scare the bejeebers outta me. I was in one once for tryin' ta hang myself with my own sheets while I was still onea the bastard's pets...I do not EVER wanna be in one again."

"You have a history of suicide attempts?"

"If you knew what that place was like. ..I'm not the first one ta try ta off themselves ta escape that torture."

"However, this history continues to after your leaving Corneo's presence. Why is that?"

He shrugged. ..he truly didn't know. .."It's like. . .when the stress builds up enough. ..it hits the boiling point and when that happens I act on impulse. ..and my impulses usually lead me ta do some really dumb shit"

"Do you place so little value on your life?"

"What's the life of an ex-whore and murderer for hire worth, really? Only a few people in this world really seem to think I have much at all. .. to the people who used to live in Midgar I'm the 'butcher of sector 7' . To Rufus, I'm begining to think I'm just another tool to be used in his effort to rebuild. ...to Cloud I'm annoyance. ... Rude, Elena, Tseng and Rennan seem to be the only ones to see me as more...and Rude I'm not even sure of how he sees me at the moment."

"Your life is worth what you make it worth. There are people out there far worse off than you who aren't contemplating suicide when things get rough."

"In my opinion it's doing the world a favor." the comment was so dry and off hand it had to make someone wonder when things had gotten this bad...and she would be able to tell he'd shut down. ..and that the subject of his three suicide attempts was not up for discussion as yet.

Seeing she'd hit a brick wall on that route, Dr. West sat back. "Is there anything in particular YOU would like to talk about?"

He blinked...just for a moment..he'd had the television on and they'd been showing a movie about the war in Wutai and had closeupped on a sniper. ..with the showing of the rifle, he slammed his eyes shut, shuddering a moment.

"Reno?" Dr. West asked. She'd seen it, that terror. She had to get it out of him while it was fresh in his mind.

He relayed to her the night, less than a week before. ..the way they'd used the rifle to violate him. ..then feeling so damn alone yes, he'd picked up on Rude's feelings even while only partially with it. ..he took a shuddering breath while relaying how he'd FELT himself crash right before his mind had blanked out completely. ..then wrapped his arms around himself, crossing them in front of his chest.

"Don't bury the feelings, Reno," she said, reaching out for his hand. "Acknowledge them, but don't give them power."

He dropped his arms.. .the flashback finally letting go. ..was it any wonder now really he felt as he did, with so much buried trauma?

"Give names to your feelings, Reno."

"Terror. ..alone. ...cold. .. pain. ."

"Okay, alone," she said, sitting up straighter and even leaning forward a little. "What is making you feel alone?"

"He left me. ..not physically. ..so much as. ..emotionally distancing himself. .."

"Why do you think he was distancing himself?"

"I could feel the tightness in his muscles. ..I've learned to read his body language. ..he tightens up when he's angry and wants to distance himself from others."

"That was 'how', Reno. I'm looking for 'why."

"Because of how he said. ..it didn't have to happen...I was..." and he closed his eyes. "careless."

"Do you feel he was angry with you, or with the situation"  
"Maybe. ..a little of both .. "

"Why would he be angry with you?" she asked. "Then, why would he be angry with the situation? And which do you think was more the cause?"

He relates how he'd been pushing due to the events with Josh. .."An' I think. ..he remembered somethin' and it really disturbed him. ...I think he remembered when I got these..."

"If the events disturbed him that much, I don't think you need to worry about being alone," she said with that tiny smile.

"I hope you're right. .." He smiled, jut the tiniest bit, though he still trembled, everything was raw, close to the surface.

"All right. Now, let's move on to terror. Why do you feel terror?"

"Those people. ..owned me. ..loss of self. ..loss of freedom. .. "

"Loss of self... when during the incident did you feel that loss of your sense of self?"

"When they tore off my jeans and found the mark they'd put on me. ..and said they owneed me. ..this was AFTER they'd sold me to that monster. ..they still think they own me."

"Forgive me. I'm a little confused." Dr. West was trying frantically to get the whole timeline straight. "When did that group 'own' you?"

"When I got these. . ." he gestured to his face. "I was running with the Red Barons. ..Krastof's gang. .. .he marks his new recruits with this barcode brand on their tailbone. .. .he collects street kids. ..he calls them his property. .."

"And you were one of those he happened to pick up?"

He nodded. "Right after I ran away from the wutain bastard who made me feel like dirt that the government stuck me with."

"And when you were assaulted... It brought you back to when you were with them as a child?"

He nodded..."They'd rape the kids to keep them in line. ..an'. ..I watched 'em murder an 11 year old kid. ..same damn rifle. ..he shot the kid from his ass. ..the kid's guts hit the wall. ..and there was so damn much blood. ..."

"Let it out," she said quietly. They were on the verge of a break through, she could feel it.

"When he did that. ..I thought. ..I thought he as just gonna off me. ..right there. . .I thought about what would happen ta my son. ..they wanted him, too. ..an' how if I was killed. ..they'd get my son an' do him like they did me. .. "

"And this, I believe, is the heart of the matter." Dr. West gently squeezed Reno's hand slightly. "You feared not only your own safety, but the safety of your child. And you don't feel Mr. Urar did enough to protect either of you. Am I correct?"

He nodded. ..his eyes tearing a bit...he'd been. ..absolutely mind-blowingly terrified.

"I believe THAT is something you will need to share with him... after, of course, you share the details of your assault by the protesters"  
"Yeah. . ." He was trembling. ..he'd never been so terrfied in his entire life. .."I'm gettin' tired. ..thank you. ..for at least tryin'.. I know I'm pretty fucked up. ." he looked up to see the one he needed to talk to standing there. .."Aibou. ...we need ta talk."

"Only as fucked up as you want to be," Dr. West said with a smile. She turned, that smile going to Rude. "And you, Mr. Urar, I would like to see you at some point before Mr. Tarshil is released. I believe we have some things to discuss." With a nod to each of them, the woman was gone.

"What do we need to talk about?" Rude asked, his tone showing none of the apprehension his body bare did.

He told him. .everything that had happened at the protest. .all of it. ..his voice shaking as he did. .

Rude listened, his shoulders never losing their tension, but not gaining any through the whole story. Once Reno was done, he spoke, voice quiet. "Why didn't you tell me before?" 


	45. Chapter 45

Reno looked up at him, then away. "I was ashamed. .and thought you'd think it was something I brought on myself...like you thought what that bastard of Krastof's was something you thought I brought on myself. ." he sighed, shaking his head "I could still hear, even if I couldn't respond."

"I didn't think what happened with Krastof was your fault. You just could have been a little more careful." Rude's words were spoken evenly.

Reno nodded, leaning a little closer, he was still pretty shaky, his entire body language begged to be touched, to be held by the only one he really completely trusted for comfort.  
"You could really be more careful most times, and it's never bothered you when I brought it up before." And it was true. Rude thought that Reno seemed more than reckless, almost suicidal, at times when dealing with dangerous people.

"I can be reckless. ..I know. .." He shook his head, then gestured as he tried to articulate to this one who meant more than his own life the feelings of worthlessness that West had picked up on so easily. .. finally doing so with a soft. "I've never been that important, really. . "  
Rude frowned, but it softened quickly. He took Reno's hand into his, holding it gently. "Important to me," he said quietly.

"You know. .I think I really needed to hear that from you. ..you've been my rock. ..had my back through so much. ..I wanna be able to have yours too, but it's so hard when I'm so fucking messed up."

Rude didn't know what to say to that. He just sat there, looking at Reno's hand in his, noticing how tiny the redhead's fingers were compared to his own, noticing how pale he was compared to his own mocha coloured skin.

"You deserve better than some. ..broken toy. ..but I can't let go." There, he'd acknowledge it.. .the brokeness that had led to the savage desperation to have everything "as it was". He knew it was neither healthy nor possible, though, all he could do was move forward. ..become the stronger and healthier man his baby deserved, and his husband deserved.

Rude's eyes shot up from his study of their hands. "You're not just some 'broken toy,'" he said. "You're... more than that. Better than that."

His eyes went wide, and he leaned further in, his eyes asking if he could settle himself against the broad chest, draw warmth and comfort from it as he had once before.

A grunt and a nod from Rude, and he gently pulled Reno against him. While a good portion of those feelings were still numb, he could feel the spark between him and the redhead, that basic human desire for comfort and touch.

Reno leaned into him, sighing...eyes finally dry as he told of how helpless and cold and alone he'd felt during the hours Rude had gone after Eric. .and in even slower and more halting tones. .how dirty and ashamed he'd felt after the rally. .. how he'd forced himself to want to be touched again to prevent Rude from suspecting, though his tone told clearly how he'd suspected Rude had known more than he let on, and how now. ..Rude was the only one he trusted to touch him with more than a few causual brushes unless Rude was there with him.

"I... I don't deserve such an honour," he said quietly, his hands rubbing gently over Reno's back.

"You do in my eyes, yo...you've protected me. .from so much. ..yeah, you've scared me a few times, but that's done with, right? We move on, move forward, 'sall we can do"  
Rude just sighed, placing his chin on Reno's head and just breathing the smell of his hair.

"You did know more than you let on, I bet. ..or suspected something wasn't right." he just shook his head, chuckling softly. "But you never said anything. ..probably were waiting to see if I would."

"You never could keep a secret."

"No, I never could...my body language always gives me away. ..to you at least. ..just like yours does to me..'swhy we FIT."

Rude chuckled slightly.

"I want you.. so much, but I'm too damn torn up thanks to that bastard. .." He sighed, shifted his weight to try to get comfortable again."

"Don't know if I'm ready for that yet," he said honestly. He was just now getting comfortable with touching Reno in non-sexual manners; it would take a little more time to get to the point of touching him in a blatently sexual way.

"Was bein' honest. ..bein'; honest with ourselves an' each other's what recoverin's about, right?"

Rude nodded, closing his mouth before he drooled a little on the top of Reno's hair.  
"Guess. ..I just wanna reaffirm that we survived this whole fucked up period. ..with something of US left intact. God knows it woulda destroyed the sanest. .. an' I don't think even Tseng and Rufus' marriage woulda survived what we've gone through."

"We survived." It was all Rude could say as he hugged Reno tighter against him.  
Reno leaned against that broad chest, the chills beginning to die off. ..Then he reached up to touch Rude's face as he usually did after a breakdown, then leaned in, stealing a short but still breath-stealling kiss. ..not so much to reawaken, though it would be nice if it did. ..but more to assure himself that this man he loved would still be his when all was said and done.

Rude's breath caught in his throat at the touch of Reno's lips, and he kissed back shyly, clumsily. There was that tiny spark of passion behind it, but not enough to encourage Reno to push forward.

Reno however needed none. ..his eyes filling but not overflowing this time as he pressed his toungue inside...a feeling of intense connection and more than abit of rlief washing over him at the even smallest response.

At the touch of Reno's tongue, Rude pulled away, his face pink and a strange sounding laugh on his lips. "You make me feel like some kind of virgin," he said in between chuckles.

Reno's face showed just the tiniest bit of hurt before it faded, and he laughed too. ..scratching the back of his head bemusedly. "It's comin' back, just bein' slow. .. too slow for me ta be honest, but I c'n wait too. ..Gods know you've been patient enough with me"  
"I know we've done--" Rude gestured with his hands, "--this before, but... It just all feels new and... I want to take it slow. I'm sorry."

He nodded. .part of his healing was learning to be patient. So he just curled into that strong chest again. ..eyes sliding closed. he didn't expect a response but he said it anyway as he drifted off. "I love you, big guy."

The classic Rude grunt was the response he gave.

"He looks almost peaceful." was Elena's whispered comment as she loked in. "Poor guy's really been through the ringer. ..in a way I'm surprised that pill swallowing didn't happen months ago, but I'm glad it brought his own need to work through his own issues into light."

Another Rude grunt as the large man shifted, gently placing Reno on the bed and trying not to wake him in the process.

Reno whimpered at the loss of the big man's warmth before falling back into a deeper sleep.

"Rennan wants to see him, and Ms Berry called, said she'd be coming by later to get the rest of the information and plan where to go from here. I wasn't sure if he was up to seeing his son yet."

"Don't think I'm who you need to ask," Rude said softly, nearly shooing Elena from the room as he exited behind her. He closed the door quietly, then turned to the blonde. "Let him sleep. He needs it."

"He does. .he's slept so little. . .but he needs us around him, too. ..especially you. ..he sees you as his white knight, you know. ..I know, you don't think you deserve it, but he does. ..you're the best guy he's ever managed to land, and you make him happy." she smiled gently. 'how about some Wutain? I brought some of those noodles you love so much with me...we can eat them in the cafeteria."

Rude's smile couldn't possibly get any wider without breaking his face. "Real food," he said in a voice usually reserved for afterglow.

"Yep, I have some general tsao's for him when he wakes up too. ..for some reason he likes that sweet stuff that leaves you wondering where the heat was when it hits." she chuckles.  
Rude just smiled and shook his head, gesturing for Elena to lead and he would follow.

Elena strode down toward the cafeteria, setting the box with the paper cartons on the table,. Drunken Noodles, general tsao's chicken, sweet and sour shrimp, fried rice, lo mein, and normal rice being revealed as she popped the lids on the cartons, plus a whole gallon of Wutain green iced tea.

Rude just gave Elena a look that asked if she expected him to eat all that, or even MOST of it.

"There will be plenty of leftovers, believe it. ..Tseng and Rufus will likely be coming down for lunch soon enough and I figured spare them the cafeteria food."

"You are a saint," he said, grabbing a pair of chopsticks and digging in.

"I try..." she heard the sharp click of heels. "shoot, I'd hoped she wouldn't get here for a few hours yet. .. he really needs the sleep. ..maybe she'll be nice and have lunch with us first before she bothers him."

Rude's lips formed the word 'harpy' before Ms. Berry's form nearly exploded into the cafeteria.

"Where is Mr. Tarshil?" she demanded, her heels making a stacatto step as she stalked towards them.

"Sleeping... he is in desperate need of it." Elena kept her tone even. ...not wanting to aggravate the situation.

Rude felt it best to keep his mouth as full of food as possible. It was easier for him not to say something derogatory to the woman if he did that.

"I need to speak with him immediately. There's been some new developments in his case." Ms. Berry's tone indicated that she was used to being in charge.

"You know where it is, but go gently, he's still quite sore."

Rude had to swallow quickly to avoid choking on his food. Did Elena just reference what he thought she referenced?

"Thank you," Ms. Berry said, spinning on a dime and stalking quickly back towards the hallway, the clacking of her shoes sounding almost like a firing machine gun.

Reno sat up at the sound of the heels, rubbing his eyes in a boyish manner, working to get his hair into some sembelance of order. ..he looked better, and a hell of a lot more stable this morning, though damned if he wasb't still in pain. "m'here, come in."

Instead of sitting, Ms. Berry chose to stand over Reno's hospital bed. "There will be no custody battle. You are the last surviving relative of Rennan Kendrick. Sign these papers, and he's yours." She tossed a folder full of paperwork on Reno's lap.

Reno signed, then looked up at her. "What happened?"

"Someone broke into her cell. Her throat was slit. When an officer was sent to notify her next of kin, her parents were found in the same condition." Her words were clipped and held just a hint of suspicion in them. "There are no leads."

"I think I know who did it. .." He peered at Berry with suddenly thinking eyes. "Do you know of a boy named Shion Xiiang?"

"No."

"He was one of Krastof's street kids. ..he is also...Tseng's son." He sighed, shaking his head. "Fuck. ..I gotta call Rufus and let him know the shit just hit the fan."

Rufus' phone rang, and rang, then finally went to voice mail. He was a little 'occupied' at the moment to worry about a little ringing phone.

"Boss, keep a watch on yourself.. .that kid killed Trish's entire family, and something tells me Tseng's next. ..then I'm likely on his list after that...just do me a favor and watch your backs." Message left, he turns to Berry. "You should probably watch your own back, too. Anyone who has had anything to do with this mess is liable to have that little assassin after 'em."

She nodded, taking the folder from Reno. "I'll mail you the copies once the judge signs them."

Michael TW Kelley: Reno let out a loud whoop of happiness once he was sure Berry was gone, then called Tifa..no, he wasn't happy Trish was dead and he worried about Tseng, but he was happy the battle was averted.

"Hello?" Tifa asked, sounding a little out of breath.

"Tifa, Rennan's mine." He explained everything. "BUt I need you to keep a good watch on him until the final paperwork goes through, the little assassin of Krastof's is sure to make a go for him."

"Will do. Keep your eyes open as well."

"Will do, He's likely to go after Tseng and Rufus, too, but I left a message for them to watch their backs."

Tseng was so involved with his dick buried deep into Rufus' ass he didn't even see the shadow on the wall. . .

Rufus' eyes flew open, a moan coming from his mouth as Tseng once again his that lovely spot inside him that made his bones turn to jelly. He saw the shadow on the wall, but figured it was Dark Nation... until he heard the cuahl's low warning growl.

Tseng's head was yanked back, a dagger at his throat, his almond shaped eyes just barely catching golden skin on that tiny hand and dark almond shaped eyes so like his own.  
Eternally calm and collected, Rufus glanced at the boy dressed in black, holding the knife at his lover's throat while said lover was still buried inside him. "Isn't it proper to introduce yourself before you go about threatening people with knives?" he said calmly to the boy.

"Oh, he knows exactly who I am. .don't you. ..Father?"

The raise of an eyebrow was the only sign of shock Rufus showed. "I see. However, WE have not been introduced, and as I'm sure you can see, your father knows me rather well."

"You are why he abandoned us. ..why Mother commited Hari Kiri the day he left Wutai. ..why I was sent away to live with some Wute bastard who didn't even know my name. ..how do you think I knew how to find your little redhaired pet, hmm? The one I was sent to knew him well."

"Tseng," Rufus said carefully. "Was there a reason I was unaware of this?"

"By law. ..he is not mine. I never suspected he'd ever leave Wutai. ..but he is my shame, my eternal damnation.."

"I don't suppose you would give us the dignity of 'parting company', if you'll excuse the phrase," Rufus said, his eyes locking on the boy's.

"Once I've done what I came to do. ..but by then I doubt it would matter...besides, one of the favored Wutain methods of assassination is to take the kill at the height of one's passion. ..it is the method of execution used for homosexuals in our land, is it not, 'Father'" the term was spit.

"Yes. ..it is."

"I would have thought something more cruel a punishment for such a 'heinous' crime," Rufus said thoughtfully. The little Reno voice in the back of his head said something about going out with a bang before cackling maniacally.

Suddenly, another soft growl, and the dark-furred cat had yanked the child off Tseng without even bothering to keep those claws sheathed. ..

Tseng took a small nick to the main artery in his neck, not enough to bleed him out completely, but certainly enough to leave him staggering, as his son was yanked off of him by the large feline that now had him pinned face down to the floor.

Rufus smiled down at his cat, sliding to the edge of the bed since the movement had pulled Tseng from him. "Are you all right, Tseng?"

Tseng was holding his hand to his neck, trying to staunch the flow from the cut the dagger had caused, his face was a bit pale, but the stoic man nodded as he got to his feet, going into the bathroom for the first aid kit and the potion inside, as soon as he had sipped a bit of it and spread some of it over the wound, the bleeding stopped.

Rufus carefully picked up his shotgun, not bothering with clothing as he casually walked over to where his cuahl had pinned the boy. "Good girl, Dark Nation."

"So, you're just going to kill your stepson, are you?" the boy spat. "Oh. ..and you'd best have your pet watched, and his son. ..Anthony's brother wasn't happy to have the little whore's knight kill him."

"There was a saying my father had that I do believe I'm starting to appreciate," Rufus said, still keeping the shotgun aimed at the boy, even though he had no intent to shoot him. "Children should be seen... and not heard"  
"Fuck you." the child spat at him.

"That is your father's job, my dear boy. Now," Rufus cocked the rifle, more for the noise and threat than to actually plan on using it. "Would you be so kind as to tell me you name?"

"Shion, Shion Dou Xiang."

"There. Now was that really so difficult, Shion?" he asked.

"I hate you fucking world-killers." the boy snarled.

Reno meanwhile was curled up on his bed, he did not notice the youthful strides coming up the hall.

"Can I help you, son?" A male nurse asked the boy.

"I need to talk to him alone a moment, if you please. ..it's personal, family matter."

The man looked the child up and down. He couldn't be more than 15. "I'll need your name, please?"

"Richard Marlow sir"  
The nurse took a pen from the station he was standing next to and jotted down the boy's name on a piece of paper. "All right. Just don't be too long. Mr. Tarshil should be sleeping."

"Yes sir." He strode into the room, noting it was darkened, his target curled up around himself in the bed.. .

Reno only got a chance to yelp before he was wrapped up in the sheets and carried out of the window.

As the nurse went off duty, he forgot to tell those coming in for their shift about the boy who went in to see Mr. Tarshill, and no one seemed to hear the noise the man made.

"Tseng," Rufus said casually. "Don't they teach dicipline and respect for your elders in Wutai anymore?"

"This one was not raised there, but it is obvious he has been trained in the Bushido arts,"

Elena took one look in the room as she and Rude came back in and immediatly knew something was wrong. "He's gone. ..and he could barely sit up, much less walk."

Rude frowned, his eyes darting around the room for a clue. After a moment, he pointed to the bed. "The sheet."

"Would it be safe for us to let him up? Dark Nation seems to be getting bored with her prey," Rufus said with a smile.

"I say we imprison him in the wutain manner. .chained hand and foot."

"The sheet's gone. ..and the window's open. ..."

"And his phone's still here," Rude's voice had a definite defeated tone to it.

"I have seen you get out of worse than chains, Tseng. And he is your son..." Rufus warned, freeing a hand to pat his cuahl on the head lovingly.

Tseng thought a moment. .."Do we still have that swing"  
"I'll go get Livewire...he seems to have been taught to track Reno's scent. .maybe the cat can find him."

Rude hoped so, he really hoped so.

Rufus' smile was purely evil. "We do." He paused. "Dark Nation, let him up. Slowly."

Shion as soon as the cat was off him darted out of the window. .. listening to the little beep in his ear that got louder the closer to Richard he got."I could not terminate target one, have you acquired target two?" he spoke into the microphone in his collar.

"Target, shmarget," Richard's drawl crackled slightly over the line. "I got the whore."

"I am on my way in, be prepared with the tranquilizer gun, the whore has one of those damn beasts too."

Elena brought Livewire back, and the cat began to sniff, following the trail.

"Got me one better," Richard's smile could be heard over the line. As he moved, he tossed a the ball of materia he'd picked off the redhead.

Reno just looked at the man, inside he was terrified, but hr was getting sick and tiired of being victimized. .."Let me go, you fucking asswipe, or I swear to fucking all the gods that you will die the most painful death possible."

Richard smiled as he trussed up the whore. "You gots yerself a pretty mouth, there," he drawled.

"Rude's going to tear your fucking ass apart. ..I hope you enjoy it."

Elena looked over as Livewire took off at a dead run. . ."Let's move!"

"Oh, I plan on it... but not until Shion gets back. He's got a few plans for you, too." Richard's smile in Reno's face showed that the teenager was missing one of his front teeth.

Reno judst spat in his face as the little Wutain assassin jogged up.

"Where's your pa?" Richard asked the younger boy.

"Had to escape without him, got pinned down by a shotgun wielding ShinRa and his fucking cat."

Richard laughed. "Getting sloppy, eh Shion? This a little too close to home for ya?"

"No, though I'd prefer not to have had to worry about the blond bitch"  
Elena did her best to keep up with the cat, hoping Rude was still behind them, she was worried sick for her comrade.

"You worry too much." Richard scratched himself. "So... now what? Do I get to play with him now?" He gestured at Reno.

"Go ahead. ..leave some of him for me, though."

"Aww, didn't know you liked 'em that way," Richard's missing tooth was more prominent with that grin. He turned to Reno. "Me and you's gonna have a lot of fun, whore"  
Reno looked from the kid, to Richard, then back to the kid. ."You, don't make me laugh, I doubt you have enough dick yet for me to even feel it. ..as for you. ..I'm gonna enjoy watching my husband kill you"  
"I gots me more than enough for what I'm lookin' for," Richard said, unzipping his pants and letting his flaccid flesh flop out. Truth be told, the 15 year old must have hit his growth spurt early. He pulled a handgun from the waistband of his pants. "Now, play nice or I'm gonna hafta mess up that pretty little head of yours..."

Reno's jaw clenched. ..he spat "fuck you" as the guy jammed his dick into his mouth. ...he silently prayed 'Rude. . .please hurry. ..please find me. ..' when he heard Livewire's roar from a distance...

Richard held the gun against Reno's temple. "Ah, yeah. That's it. But no teeth, ya hear?" He tapped the gun's barrel against Reno's temple. "Too much teeth and my finger might slip." A loose chuckle fell from Richard's lips. "Hell, my finger might just slip anyway..."

Elena could only watch in utter horror as she waited for Rude to catch up to her. ..

Reno had tears streaming down his cheeks. ..feeling horridly and completely dirty. ..he bit down definatly. ..almost as if daring the bastard to shoot him.

"Fuck!" Richard shouted, his finger squeezing the trigger. However, the teenager's poor gun cleaning habits caused a misfire, making the weapon nearly explode in his hand.

Even with the loud bang that defeaned him Reno didn't let go, he knew the bastard had to be hurting when he tasted blood in his mouth. .. he diidn't even think how he'd cheated death.

Elena heard the backfire and yelled for Rude.

"Goddamn motherfucker!" Richard yelled, pulling himself from Reno's mouth, looking down, and promptly passing out from the sight.

Rude was huffing as he jogged up to Elena. Man, was he feeling out of shape.

Reno faced down Shion, his eyes glittering with terrified rage.  
"You do realize just who I am, don't you?" the black clad boy asked, his fingers hovering just above his belt.

"My supervisor's kid. ..and right now I could care the fuck less. . .you just backed a junkyard dog into a corner. ..not too fuckin' bright. .."

"shouldn't we step in, Rude? he can barely stand. ..he's in no shape to fight that kid."

"Good," Shion said softly. He began circling Reno, keeping just enough distance to where the man couldn't reach out and grab him, but close enough to where he could strike quickly when the desire struck him.

Rude placed his hand in front of Elena. "We step in now and we startle them both. With as addled as Reno's been lately... he won't be the first to react."

Reno's eyes narrowed. ..electricty could be felt in the air as his fury built...he lifted up the bracelet that held the two stones. ..unbeknownest to Richard that stone was not a ruby. ..but a summon materia. ..as he took a deep inhale Ramuh appeared in a flurry of green globules. ."you like playing with lightening, kid?"

Shion's little smile didn't falter, his thumb touching the jewel at the base of his still sheathed dagger. As the smile widened, the sound of the ocean could be heard louder and louder, until it rivalled that of Ramuh's thunderclaps.

Reno however had an ace up his sleeve. .. his limit break element was lightening. ..and he was able to feed a bit of his own limit into Ramuh's attack as he called out "Judgement bolt!" his own energies had gone into the attack as well as Ramuh extended his shaft and struck the boy with the enhanced attack.

The oceanlike rumbling sound grew still louder, but no summon had appeared yet. Shion's smile did not leave his face, even as his limbs threated to give out from under him as he felt the electricity travel through him. Soon. Very soon.

Reno had the energy for one more summon before he passed out. .. but he held out. ..no fucking way was this kid taking him down without a fight.  
"I haven't seen him this focused in. ..Gods only know how long. .. you think he's going to do it?"

Shion reached into his shirt folds, touching the green stone on the pendant he wore as he felt the first wave of water splash across the warehouse floor. "My mother's gift from her deathbed," he said with that eerie smile. "The water dragon of Wutai."

"He's a fool!" Rude's voice exploded from his throat as he realized just what the boy intended to do. He moved as quickly and as quietly as he could, climbing down from their position in the rafters.

"Mine from Tifa. ..this stone has more than one summon . ..." He summoned Phoenix. ..he knew what was coming. ..and at least if that thing managed to take him out, he'd manage to slap the kid pretty good and the firebird would bring them back. .he barely clung to his feet, but he stayed on them, glaring down Shion.

"Your firebird will not help you," Shion said, taking a few steps backwards as the water continued to rise. Soon, it would reach his waist and he'd be better off swimming.

"It'll bring my ass back so I can smear yours all over the fuckin' place. .." then his voice rang louder. "Rude, you mind givin' me a bitta hand here? if he manages ta take me down. ..kill him for me. ..An' ya know, I've never seen your limit. ..bet it's neat."

"Bet it is, too," Rude said over the sound of the rising water. His arm went around Reno's shoulders, keeping the redhead standing.

"Hope swimming lessons were part of your training," Shion said as he spread his arms, the water suddenly rising even faster until it was over their heads. The boy smirked at them underwater, touching his pendant again, and swam towards the surface.

Reno as the water washed over them, was yanked under, but instead of struggling he focused. ..pulling himself to the surface before calling "Phoenix flame!" the huge flare reaching out to Shion, it would hit him dead on.

Had he not had the shell's barrier, he probably would've been killed. However, Shion's weakened state wasn't that terrible since he held that shard of underwater materia in his pendant. He swam as quickly as he could, foregoing the surface for one of the windows that he could break out and escape through.

Rude swam quickly towards Reno, ignoring the child for now. It was better to save the redhead than worry about the little ninja.  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno floated at the surface on his back as that last attack had wiped him out and the magic of the phoenix only worked if he died. .which he had not. .. he was wiped clean however, completely exhausted. . .

Tseng arrived just as Shion broke through the window, his eyes immediatly meeting his son's. "It's me you want. ..why do you bother with the smaller fish?"

"The better to torture you with, Father," Shion spat, pulling an elixer from the bag at his hip and downing its contents quickly.

Elena finally pulled herself from the slowly-draining water. "Is he. ..?"

"I am the better ninja than that, Shion. ..something you should know." He draws the katana he had brought, his eyes focused, he had donned the traditional Wutain fighter's gi.

"You would kill your only son?" Shion's voice held a mockingly incredulous tone.

"When he endangers all that I hold dear because of his own prejudices. ..not that I wish to. ..I would much rather you give up your hatred. ..I did not kill your mother. ..the ones who pushed me into the marriage when I did not wish it did that. ..the ones who would not accept my choice on who to love did that. "  
Rude when he set his fingers on Reno's neck would feel a slightly weak and fluttery but still steady pulse.

Shion slid his hood back, pulling down his mask as he did so. Finally showing his face to the man that fathered him, anyone with eyes would realize that he was the spitting image of his father at that age. "You knew how fragile she was. You knew how much she depended on your strength."

"I was driven from Wutai by the elders. ..simply because I fell in love with another man. ..it is time the old ways died. .there would be so many fewer children like you on this planet if the old ways died."

"You knew what it would do to her if you left!" Shion's voice broke in the middle of his yell, showing just how town between childhood and adulthood he was.

"I didn't choose to leave. ..do you not think I haven't been burnt by the shame of what they forced me to do every day since?" His own voice cracked, showing clearly that he meant it.  
"You could have repented! You could have repented and saved Mother's life!" The boy's fingers were white as he balled his fists.

"And be false to my own heart? I would have been no more good to you had I done that and died inside than I am now."

"But then Mother would still be alive." Shion's tone held that venomous accusation at its tip.

"And I likely would not be. ...It is time the old ways were laid to rest, Shion, once Yuffie takes power they WILL be, and there will BE no more children like you who lose their fathers over stupid prejudices that should have died LONG ago. I LOVE him, I never meant to hurt you, but I would have killed myself being forced to live in a world I never wanted. ..you MUST understand that"  
Elena can only stand and watch. ..closing her eyes as she ran her fingers through long red strands of silk. ..praying to all the guardians that Shion would see the logic in what his father was saying.

"You love him?" That incredulous tone was back. "Ha! You love him no more than you did Mother and I. You are nothing more than ShinRa's lapdog, his WHORE. He came in with all his promises, and you were swept away. Not once did you glance back to see the effect it would have on Mother and I. Not ONCE."

Tseng closed his eyes, he could feel the burning shame..."He kept his promises. ..he gave me his ring. ..his fortune. ..his heart. .." He holds up his finger with the gold carven-rope band on it. ..the symbol that Rufus had indeed kept every promise he had made his wutain Guardian. "I admit I never loved your mother. ..I was forced into the marriage, I never wanted it. ..but I do love you, and have never stopped wanting you. ..if I had known that she died, I would have taken you in, in a moment."

"Then why did you abandon us? You knew, you KNEW what they would do to Mother and I." Hot tears of anger streaked down Shion's face. "You knew that we would become outcasts, that our family would be shamed. Your selfish actions brought a stain of dishonour to the entire clan! But no, you were too enthralled with your benefactor to worry about your poor family!"

Tseng could only turn away. ..he knew Shion was right. ..but he also knew."Perhaps..but someone has to stand up for what is right. ..and no one else would. The traditions are wrong when they force one to go against their own heart and force them into marriages they do not want. They lead only to pain."

Reno groaned softly as he awakened to see a flash of blond and white stride to stand beside Tseng now.

"What is right?" Shion's voice broke again as he drew his dagger. "When you went against the traditions for your own selfish ends, were you doing what was right? When you chose to lie with this... this... ShinRa butcher instead of watch over your son, was that right?"

"What is right is that people be allowed to love whom their hearts dictate. ...no matter what gender they happen to be."

"When you left me, was that right, Father? Was it? Was that your foolish idea of right and just?" The boy's face was red and tear-streaked with his fury.

"I didn't choose to leave you. ..I did not WANT to leave you behind, I was FORCED to. ..but no. ..it was not right to leave you. .I do realize that. .." he dropped his katana. ..seeming to welcome whatever punishment the boy saw fit to give,

As Tseng's katana fell, Shion seemed to draw into himself, wrapping himself in that cloak of superiority and aloofness that he had at the beginning of the confrontation. "Then make a choice, Father." He took a single step backwards. "Make a choice. Stay with the ShinRa... or come back to Wutai with me to rebuilt the family honour"  
"I cannot come back. ..you know now I cannot. .." his look to Rufus told where his feelings lay. "It is not I that needs to change. ..but the old ideas of honor. ..the old ways must fall so I can love whom I choose and still have my honor."

The words 'you have no honour' lay at the back of Shion's tongue, but he swallowed them. If that was the way it was going to be... "Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"Not a thing."

"I see." Shion's tone of sorrow was misleading. "Then know this, Father. Our deaths are on your head." With his last words, he drew a pair of shuriken from inside the folds of his shirt and threw them with blinding accuracy into Rufus ShinRa's chest. Directly after, he took his dagger and plunged it into his own abdomen, pulling the blade through flesh and internal organs from the corner of his hip up to the bottom of his ribcage.

Tseng lept to Rufus side. ..signalling for Rude to call an ambulance, he knew that Rude was there. ..he held his son on one arm.. .his husband on the other.. .his eyes widening. .."Hurry, please. ..hurry. .."

Reno stumbled out as well. ...his eyes as wide as saucers. ..he knew he did not have the energy for it. ..but he did it anyway. ..calling out "Phoenix flame. .." as soon as he felt the lives of the two slip away.As soon as the words had left his lips, the redhead wobbled on his knees. ..crumpling first to his knees, then falling onto his back..

Rude tossed his phone to Elena directly after dialing the number for the ambulance. He rushed to Reno's side, holding the redhead as he felt him struggle to keep conscious.

Reno looked up at Rude.. "did it. ...did it work. .?" before his eyes slid closed.. .his pulse growing thready. ..very thready.

Rude glanced over at Tseng, hoping for a good answer.

Tseng nodded as the color begins to return to both Rufus' and Shion's faces. ..the wounds healing.

Rude fumbled with one hand in his pockets. He knew he had something, anything that would keep Reno with them long enough for the ambulance to appear. 


	46. Chapter 46

A soft exhale sounded that had an ominous rattling tone just as the wail of sirens approached. ..that face growing paler by the second.

"Come on, Ren...you fought off the guy who was trying to rape you. ..now fight. ..fight for your friends. .fight for Rennan. .but especially fight for the big guy"  
There. There it was. The emergency elixer that Rude had made it a point to start carrying with him at all times since the start of the whole mess. He uncorked the bottle, holding it to Reno's lips. But when the redhead wouldn't take the offered drink, he tried to force the issue. "Drink it, Reno."

Elena shook her head as the ambulance pulled up, that pulse died to nothing beneath the dark skinned fingers. ..he had spent all he had in that last phoenix flame, even the energy needed to his vital functions going. ..

They were immediatly around the two, telling Rude he'd have to move aside. ..they needed to use traditional methods for getting his heart and breathing going again before any other healing methods would do any good.

Rude moved out of the way, his eyes never leaving Reno's face as the paramedics went about reviving him.  
Finally. ..a soft inhale. .body thrashing as everything began working, but they soon had it under control. ..they offered to let Rude ride with the smaller man.

"I'll follow in the car, big guy. ..I'm going to go check on the boss real quick, make sure we don't need to have him transported as well."

Rude nodded. He didn't totally feel comfortable going, but he knew it would probably be best for Reno in the long run.

Elena strode over, kneeling next to Rufus "How are you doing? Do you need transported as well, or can you recover on your own?"

A shuddering gasp came from Rufus before he opened his mouth. "I... I will be all right. Tell them to go."

"Yes sir." She waved the ambulance off...her eye closing with a prayer of Gods speed for the two and for Ifrit to watch over the bearer of his essence.

Shion's body tensed once before he stood quickly, his eyes trying hard to focus as he tried to move as far away from his father and the ShinRa as he could.

Tseng simply let him go. ..for now. He wanted to do something about the rift, but there was little he COULD do right now.

'You have shamed me, Father,' Shion thought as he stumbled away. 'I will have my revenge. For my sake... and for Mother's...'

"I am not the one who brought you back. ..you can thank the one they just took away for that." Those were Tseng's final words as he gathered up his husband and carried him back toward the car.

Rude felt all of useless sitting in the ambulance with the paramedics and Reno. He didn't have more than basic first aid training, not that he would know what to do anyway. So he sat there, fumbling with his lighter until the paramedic had yelled at him to stop, lest he ignight the oxygen tank and blow them all sky high.

A soft, very soft moan. ..the lithe redhead was a fighter, for sure...he couldn't speak, but there was a soft smile beneath the mask. . .

Rude went to fiddling with his pack of cigarettes, but from the look the paramedic that had yelled at him about the lighter gave him, he figured it best to just sit still.

A hand reached out for Rude's, Reno's head shaking slowly as if he knew he was going to get chewed out for being careless.

Rude's eyes were wide, and he still felt all of about useless sitting back there,but he took the offered hand. He was slightly shocked to notice just how cold the redhead's skin was. Usually, Reno's body temperature was like an inferno.  
Reno was shivering, even with the warming blanket one of them had laid over him. .he knew from how cold he wasand how scattered his thoughts were that he was deeply in shock,but for some reason, all he could feel was the elation of having done what he set out to do.

Rude's fingers tapped nervously against Reno's, his leg bouncing slightly with nervous energy.

Reno's eyes started to slide closed, but he gave a tiny thumbs up against Rude's hand as he passed out, a sign that he wasn't giving up easy.

Rude's nervous jitters continued all the way to the emergency room.  
Reno just let them do what they had to as they wheeled him in, the only fight he gave was with the IV, that fear of needles had not abated one bit. HIs eyes clearly said "keep THAT away from ME"

"They need to put it in, Reno. Just... let them," Rude said, walking next to the gurney they had wheeled Reno in on.

He stilled, nodding slightly, keeping his hand tightly clutched to Rude's. ..seeming to draw strangth from him almost. ..even though his eyes squinted closed when the needle slid in.

Rude let his hand slip from Reno's as they wheeled him into the examination room, telling him they wouldn't have room for him in there as well.

Elena slid up behind him now, setting a hand on his shoulder. "He'll fight now. ..he has reason to. I also think he is more than a little proud of himself for saving the boss's life"  
To say Rude jumped at Elena's touch would be an understatement. However, once his feet retouched the ground, he looked over at Elena and smiled.

Elena looked up as one of the doctors came out. She asked how bad the damages were, other than complete and utter depletion of his energy reserve, which is what had caused the near death.

"Check his mouth," Rude said softly.

The doctor looked the two straight in the eye "That was an extremely dangerous stunt, tapping into that portion of your energy reserve is a very dangerous business. It will take a day or so for his energy reserve to return to normal levels. ..he also bit his tongue during that siezure, which will take some time to heal, so he'll be doing a fair amount of writing and gesturing to get his point across Other than that and a bit of water in his lungs, he's in surprisingly good shape despite draining himself near dry."

A sigh of relief left Rude's mouth.

As Reno was wheeled by he gave Rude a weary looking thumbs up and an extremely contrite expression. ..he knew he was going to get ripped a new one for worrying the big guy that way, and he knew he deserved it.

Knowing that Reno was alive and going to be well, Rude went back towards the door, fully intending on having a cigarette or three to calm his nerves.

Elena was already out there with one of her own. ..she seemed to be thinking.

After a deep drag from the cigarette, Rude nodded towards the blonde girl.

"Kid's one of the strongest bastards I've ever met in my life." her voice was quiet. "But also one of the most foolhardy. ..at least this time it was for a good reason."

"Reckless," Rude grunted in between drags.  
"Reckless. . .but normally out of a sense of loyalty...this time if he'd not been reckless Tseng would have lost spouse and son in one swoop. .and we would have lost not only the president but a dear friend."

Rude shook his head. He used to believe, when he was far younger, than the ends justified the means. Now, as he was getting older, he found that in many cases, the means were just as important, if not more so, than the ends.  
"I think you love that kid a lot more than you realize you do right now. ..it's coming back...but I think you're scared of letting yourself love him that way again. ..because you're scared one day he's not going to bounce back from one of his reckless decisions."

"I think you've been reading too many psychology books again," Rude said offhandedly, no venom in his words.

"Maybe so, but I'm also right." she gave him a teasing grin.

"Don't need to rub it in."

She just chuckled. "He's not going to go down without a fight. .but if you keep holding back. ..he's eventually going to stop trying. .no pressure. ..just a friendly warning."

Rude didn't bother mentioning that he'd had more than his fill of 'friendly warnings' from Elena. She was not his mother.  
Tseng meanwhile curled himself around Rufus. .the whole thing had left him more shaken than he realized.

"Anyway, you really should just let it happen. .." she tossed her cigarette away and walked in to check on Reno.

Rude rolled his eyes and grunted, lighting up another cigarette. His hands were just then slowing down their shaking.  
Reno waved off-handedly as Elena strode in, he was still shivering. but he wasn't quite so pale.

"How you feeling?" she asked, pulling up one of the chairs in the room.

An exaggerated yawn and a shiver answered her question. before picking up the pad and pen. "Rude's gonna yell, isn't he?" he wrote.

"Once he stops shaking? Yeah."

"I know. .it was stupid.." his own hand still shook. "but when I saw the kid take him out. .I just couldn't not act."

"You're not alone in this, Reno," Elena sighed. "You need to remember that."

He nodded. "Didn't figure on anyone being prepared in the situation. ."

Elena's smile could light up the whole room. "We're Turks, you dork. We're always prepared."

"Hope the boss is ok. ." he looked thoughtful as he tapped the pen against his teeth.

"He will be. He's one tough cookie." Elena's eyes suddenly got a little cloudly. "It's Tseng I'm more worried about, though..."

"He was pretty shaken up. ..I woulda been too. .had it been Rude and Rennan layed out like that."

"I didn't even know it was that way in Wutai..." she said softly.

"Traditional bastards. .but worse. ..relationships like what Rude n' I have are outlawed there. . .punishable by death."

"And to have a child raised in that way of thinking..." she shuddered.

"Yeah.. .Yuffie's gonna change a lotta things when she comes ta power, but she's gonna hafta fight tooth n' nail ta get them to stick."

Elena just sighed. "I can't believe how strong Tseng's kid is, either..."

"Bushido training. .they raise 'em ta be."

Elena just shook her head. She still couldn't believe it all.

"The other big thing is that he's sleepin' with the kida the guy who basically destroyed Wutain culture as it once was."

"Change never comes easy..."

"Nope.."

Tseng appeared to be deep in thought as he kept himself curled around his love."

"Never..." Rufus groaned, trying to stretch but finding himself wrapped in a Tseng. "Never have I seen such a child in need of a good spanking..."

"you have my agreement, love. ..and he's mine . .though. .I did abandon him, he is right in that."

Rufus sighed. "He's still out there, isn't he?"

"He is. .you really frightened me. ..if Reno had not risked what he did. ." he shivered.  
"The boy is too quick. His speed is uncanny," Rufus said, his tone wonderous. "And I would wager that his skill rivals even yours."

"It likely does. ..which is not a comforting thought. ..he hates Shinra and all it stands for"  
"The boy is dangerous. And he must be dealt with."

"Understood sir. ..though I would prefer not to have to kill him."

"I hate to say it, Tseng, but if it comes down to it..." Rufus did honestly hate to say it, but it was true. The boy was tha threat to everything he had worked for.

Tseng nodded. "If it does. ..allow me to be the one to do so, it is all I ask."

"I cannot guarentee that... but I will try."

Meanwhile Reno's phone rang, he picked it up, to hear Tifa's voice. .. he handed it to Elena, indicating for her to find out what it was about.

"What's up, Tifa?" Elena asked, her smile transferring through her voice.

"Rennan's missing. . .I went to wake him up for school this morning, and his bed was empty."

"He's what?" Elena's shriek was sure to pull looks from Reno.

"He's just gone, his bed's been slept in. ..his window was open. .Denzel was injured, though, he wasn't able to tell me much of what happened."

"Denzel was injured how?" She had a really good idea as to just what was going on.

Reno gave her a look that said he knew it was bad and she better tell him.

"A dagger cut to the neck, it was good we keep potions in the house, he had the presence of mind to grab one."

"Fuck," Elena said softly. "Good to hear he's okay. Denzel says anything, call us, okay?"

"Will do. .whatever you do. ..tell Rude first, you know Reno will freak and do something dumb."

"You're telling me," she laughed nervously.

Elena as she hung up simply gave Reno a look that said "not now" before striding out to Rude. ..immediatly she told him what Tifa had told her. "I think Ren's got it pretty well figured out, but I think if we can get Rennan back before someone tells him, we might be able to keep them both safe"

Rude snorted. "Does Tseng know?"

"No, Tifa just now called, it should be our next stop."

"He'll want in on it." Rude was moving quickly towards where he figured Tseng would be: Rufus' hospital room.

Tseng looked up now. ."Yes, what is it, Rude?"

"Sir," he said, body going rigidly to attention as he stood. "Your son... has kidnapped Reno's. He injured Denzel in the process. Tifa just called us."

Tseng stood. "I assume Reno hs not been informed for his own safety?"

"Exactly, sir."

"Will you be allright alone, sir?"

"Send in Dark Nation," was Rufus' answer. He felt that, with his beloved cuahl, he was just as safe as he would be in Tseng's care.  
Tseng sent in Dark Nation, and Livewire even trotted in behind her, a soft whimper coming from the male. ..despite that Rufus had chased him with a shotgun, the blond was Dark Nation's master, and that counted for something to him. he nuzzled Darkie gently and took his spot on the other side of the bed for a moment, then trotted into his own master's room, realizing leaving him unguarded was probably not wise.

Tseng fell into step next to Rude and Elena.

After a moment, Rude turned to Tseng. "If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to keep an eye on Reno. I'm sure he's aware that something's up, and it might be best if he was kept under constant watch."

"Understood. .." Then Tseng turned to see Livewire in the door of Reno's room, tugging a gowned figure back inside, one who struggled with what little strength he had to get free.

Rude could just roll his eyes. "Back in bed, Reno," he ordered, moving quickly to help out the cat.

He just glared but obeyed, his eyes clearly said he knew something was up. ..and there is only one thing it could be he mouthed "The bastard got Rennan, didn't he?"

"We're already taking care of it," Rude replied, pushing Reno down onto the bed.

He writes "If he hurts my kid, you are NOT going to be able to keep me in bed. . .You're outta your gourd."

"It's Tseng he wants... and the President." Rude pushed Reno into a prone position, indicating by touch alone that the redhead was NOT to get up unless he needed a trip to the little Turks room. And even then, he might be stuck with the bedpan.

But in his body language Rude would be able to read his worry, even if he knew that with Tseng and Elena Rennan was in good hands.

"When my papas get their hands on you, you are SO damn dead." Rennan growled at the little dark haired boy that had drug him from his bed, he had his father's temper for sure.

"Children shouldn't use language like that," Shion said softly, nearly dragging the smaller boy behind him.

"Children shouldn't kidnap other children in the middle of the night, either, asshole."

Shion's hand was quick, far too quick for Rennan to dodge the backhanded slap across his mouth. "I said, children shouldn't speak like that." He grabbed the boy's arm again, leading him closer to the edge of town.

Rennan stiffened, then his eyes grew narrow with fury. .he punched Shion in the arm with his free hand as hard as he possibly could.

Shion's grip tightened as he pulled the boy around in front of him, lifting him by the shirt collar. "I will kill you where you stand. Now cooperate."

"You kill me my papa will go all limit break on your ass. ..and trust me, you don't want that. ..I watched him kill the people who Mama sold me to when he rescued me."

"Your father is currently rotting away in a hospital bed with his lover worrying over him," Shion spat. "He does not worry me."

"You think that'll stop him. ..you don't know my papa."

"You think he will stop me, you don't know me," he snarled, jerking the child along again.

"If he doesn't come, your father and Auntie Elena will. . .you're dead, accept it."

"My father will not kill me. I'm his only son, his only heir... And he will keep all his people from doing the same."

"You'd think that, wouldn't you...heh, don't think father love goes that far."

"You could do the same listening to your own words," Shion said darkly, pulling the boy into an abandoned building.

"Papa wouldn't do a damn thing to hurt me, I know that too well."

"And what about Rudolph Urar?" The boy had done his research, it seemed.

"Papa Rude won't either, and I know more than you think I do."

"He seems to like putting little redheads in their place." Shion had already set out sufficient rope to keep the boy restrained.

"He's never hurt Papa. ..and I know what happened with Josh. ..and it turned out he was right to hurt the man, that man hurt both my papas."

Tseng in the meanwhile had begun following the little trail of clothing scraps Rennan had been surrepticiously leaving. he turned to Elena "That is one smart child."

"And now, until they arrive, I'm going to hurt you," Shion's tone and voice were dark as he trussed up the little redheaded boy.

"He's smart, but just as reckless as his father, sir," Elena huffed. Wow, that smoking thing was really starting to affect her lungs.  
Rennan just glared at him, he refused to make any sound.

Shion's dagger was drawn quickly, and his wrist flicked delicately as he carefully cut the boy's nightshirt from him, leaving no marks on the pale skin beneath.

Rennan only glared at him, the kid was brave was for certain. .."I'm not afraid of you, you know."

The elder boy didn't say a word, only set about with the same care removing the boy's nightpants.

Tseng followed the clothing into a an unlit alleyway on the outskirts of the city. ..it ended there but he could hear the voices.

Rennan simply spit in Shion's face.

Shion sat back, his eyes darting over the smaller boy's form as he almost thoughtfully flipped his dagger around in his palm. "Where should I begin...?" he asked himself.

"fuck you." he simply said, his own form begins to grow hotter. ..like his father. ..his limit was a hair trigger. .but his was fire based. ..not very strong as yet, but there. ..it had first appeared 3 months before when his mother's boyfriend had hit him.

"Perhaps I should begin by teaching you the proper way to speak to your elders," he said, gesturing with his dagger at the boy's mouth.

Rennan smirked like his father would. ..the heat had loosened the ropes, and he suddenly swung up his hands, he had a tiny fireball cupped in his palms, he shoved it into Shion's face. "how about I teach you respect period?"

Shion had accidentally inhaled some of the flames, causing him to take a few steps back and cough. He recovered quickly, however, and snarled at the child. "I will not be defeated by a mere child!"

Rennan stood, running. ..he might not outrun Shion, but he had to try.

Tseng saw Rennan running toward them, and signaled Elena to grab him when he got close enough.

His movements were fast as he snatched the child back up, holding him under his arm like a football. "I will cut out your tongue and make you eat it."

Rennan was hot, his skin almost hot enough to burn someone who touched him. .."Don't you know those who don't learn from their mistakes. ." and he pumped a bit more of what he had left into it. "Get burned?"

"Don't make me kill you before your usefulness has ended," Shion hissed, his black eyes flashing with a blue tint.

"you'd like that, wouldn't you. .."

"Shut up!" Shion's voice cracked as he backhanded the little redhead full force.

"Go ahead, do your worst." He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"I will take you apart piece by piece!" Shion pounced on the boy, his dagger flashing as he made several shallow cuts along Rennan's skin.

Rennan winced then knowing they were near let out a loud, ringing scream to let them know precisely where he was.

A gauntlet covered fist connected with Rennan's mouth, and Shion could swear he heard a few teeth being knocked loose. "I said, keep your goddamn mouth SHUT"  
Tseng nodded to Elena. "I believe that is our cue.  
Rennan with a roar that one would think could not come from such a tiny form his limit went full tilt, his body seemingly surrounded by flame. ..yes. ..another similarity he and his father shared. .if you piss him off he goes full bore.

Shion's fury could nearly be seen in the pale aqua blue aura around his person. He scrambled off the tiny redhead, patting out the few flames that had stuck to him. Find, the idiot child wanted to play, he could play.

Rennan's own ice green eyes were narrowed and glittering with rage. ..he may be small, but he had a large reserve for so tiny a boy. ..and since Shion planned on killing him anyway, he might as well go out fighting.

The sound of the ocean drowned out all other sounds in Shion's head. He took a step towards Rennan, his foot leaving a trail of water behind it. "I. Will not. Lose."

Tseng motioned Elena forward as he slid into the battle. "Enough, Shion. .this child is not your target."

Shion's head turned quickly, his suddenly damp hair spraying little water droplets as he did so. "So, you've come for him, Father? ... Or was it me you came for?"

Tseng motions Elena to grab the child while he faces down his son. "I came for you. . ."

"And just what did you plan on doing?" His voice held an eerie, underwater sound to it.

"Ending the threat you pose. ..I'd prefer to do so without bloodshed, but it seems you are not willing. .." With that, Tseng closed his eyes. . .poking himself with one of his own daggers to trigger his limit. .. .his hair lifting in a wind that was magical in origin. ..

To his own eyes, Shion's movements seemed strangely slow, but in reality they were blindingly fast. He flung his arm out, hand moving past the still fiery Rennan and leaving a large wave of water in its wake. The boy's fires quenched, he turned back to his father. "It seems we are both reaching our breaking points, eh Father? Perhaps we shall see which of us deserves the family name more?" His words still seemed to be coming from underwater.

Elena grabbed Rennan and took off while the two fought.  
Tseng began to rise off the ground, seeming to float on a cushion of air. "Yes, I think we shall."

"Will you kill me, Father?" Shion asked, his voice bubbling as his skin seemed to ooze water from it.

"If I must. ..if you do not give up your mad hatred for someone who is innocent of his father's crimes."

"There are no innocents! So said the Elders!" With an insanely fast wave of his hand, a tidal wave of water crashed towards Tseng.

Tseng floated above it and a blast of wind redirected the wave so it flew straight toward Shion fast and hard.

It was something the boy seemed to welcome, his arms spread like a messiah as the water moved around him, forming into a two story tall column.

While Shion was distracted he flung two daggers..one would strike him in each shoulder, pinning him to the wall of the building behind him.

Staying true to his training, Shion ignored the way the daggers cut into him, releasing the water from the colum in a circle around him, the water spiralling as it moved at a blinding speed towards Tseng... much like a very large tsunami.

Again he floated above the water on that cushion of wind, and sent a tornado toward his son. ..he was not wishing to kill, but to disable.

Pulling the daggers from him, he waved his hand at the tornadoes, filling them with liquid until they became waterspouts. With a loud roar, he directed them at his father.

Tseng felt the water from the one wash over him, knocking him back a good twenty or so feet as he hit a wall, but he stood back up, feeding a bolt spell into the other one, sending it back Shion's way as he stood dripping, holding his sprained shoulder.

As the electricity coursed through him, he clenched out the words, "My vengence will not be denied!"

Tseng once he was weakened cast a sleep spell. ..he was weakening, and he knew it, but he knew he had to subdue Shion before someone got badly hurt

"No! No! Leviath--" Shion's words were cut off as the spell took hold of him, dropping him to his knees.

Tseng picked up Shion, tying him up completely, carrying him back toward the hospital.

Elena's eyes were wide as all she could say was, "Sir?"

"Sleep spell. . .how is Rennan?"

Rennan had passed out somewhere along the line, but Elena would be able to feel his breathing was deep and even.

"Alive, and doing rather well, considering." Elena smiled.

Tseng came into Reno's room when he arrived, Elena behind him, the older redhead was rolled over on his side, sleeping. he had finally been sedated for his own safety.

Rude stood, his eyes asking about Rennan's condition.

"Alive, simply passed out. .. he should recover shortly, he fought well." 


	47. Chapter 47

A grunt and a nod from Rude, then he was back seated next to Reno. "And Shion?" he asked.

Tseng held the child under his arm. "under the influence of a sleep spell. ..I have not yet decided his fate."

Another grunt and nod, and Rude left it at that.

Rennan's eyes fluttered open and he peered up at Rude, before scrabbling to get to him. "Papa Rude. .you don't know how happy I am to see you!" the little redhead boy had held up well in front of Shion but now that he was safe the shakes had hit. . .big time.

A tiny smile touched the corners of Rude's mouth as he reached out, his hand going to ruffle through the boy's damp spikes.

"Papa's gonna be ok?"

"He'll be fine. He's just sleeping."

Rennan nodded. "You shoulda seen it! I fried him, he got so mad, too. . .and unca Tseng was just so AWESOME!"

The voice in the back of Rude's head smacked its forhead with a 'Jesus, not another one...' "Just remember to be careful," he said out loud.

"I know. but Unca Tseng blew his ass AWAY! it was so COOL!"

"Language, Rennan." Damn, the kid really was just a mini-Reno.

Reno sat up rubbing his eyes, the noise had woken him up. . .he lofted a brow at Rennan that clearly said "Adult words, buster." before shaking his head at himself. ..he really WAS going to have to start watching his mouth around his son.

"How come papa don't talk?"

"He's still working on getting better," Rude offered, trying his best to use little kid words. "Sometimes it's better not to talk to help you get better faster."

Reno stuck his tounge out to show where he'd sliced it all the way across, it had almost been completely severed, but it was beginning to heal.

"Yuck...that looks NASTY!"

Rude's look was enough, but he still said the boy's name anyway. "Rennan, be nice." Goddamn, the kid was WORSE than a mini-Reno.

Rennan was. .well, he was just being a typical five year old. .but he looked chagrined nonetheless. "Sorry Papa. .."

Reno j ust waved it off, he'd been around enough kids to know that it was typical for someone that age.

Rude, on the other hand, was of the camp that believed children were just little adults with a lesser vocabulary.

Or in Rennan's case the whole range, the kid was incredibly smart for five, and picked up everything fast.

Reno simply reached up, planting a gentle one with almost no tongue on his husband, anything with tounge hurt at that moment. but he felt this need to restablsh the family bond, so to speak.

Rude just sighed, his look indicating that Reno should rest.

Reno leaned back, sighing. ..he patted the bed to indicate he wanted Rude with him, then shooed everyone else out.

Rennan just grinned in the annoying way that kids had that said "I know what you do when we're in bed" before walking out behind the other two Turks.

"Rennan!" If that child wasn't the death of Rude... surely Reno would be.

Reno's chest shook wth silent laughter as the three left.. .he couldn't help himself. ..it was too funny how flustered Rude got and how surprised he was that kids were so smart.

"Don't think you're off the hook just because your kid's just like you," he warned.  
Reno just got this contrite look and sighed. ..here it comes. ..

"And he is just like you, too, from what I hear..." Rude said. Ah, where to begin?

Reno had not a thing really he could say. .now that he was out of the abusive situation Rennan's true personality was beginning to blossom.

"He takes too many risks, doesn't think before he acts..." And Rude was just getting started.

Reno thought to himself that he was being normal impulsive five year old, but didn't want to let on, it would make HIS actions look worse.

"And I'm not just speaking of things your son does, Reno. You are just as bad, if not worse. For someone who's so caught up on keeping ME alive and well, you seem to be in quite the hurry to off yourself"  
Now THAT drew a blush. .the crimson stain flooding his face, what made it worse is that Rude was right. ..he'd been almost suicidally reckless lately.  
"Nothing to say in your defense?" Rude asked. He figured he'd give Reno the option to defend his actions before continuing.

He shook his head. ..Rude was right. ..the only defense he had in his case was that he'd saved Rufus life, he jotted that fact down for him.

Rude reached into his jacket, pulling out a tiny bottle that held an orange and red feather in it. The feather sparkled like an ember, as if it would burst into flame the second it tasted air. He raised an eyebrow at Reno.

"You need to let me know you carry emergency supplies now, I don't know if I'm not told." his brow knitted in consternation.

"A Turk is prepared for whatever might confront him," Rude quoted from the ShinRa Company Turk Employee Handbook... page 12.

Again, the blush grew deeper. .he really had grown addled lately, and it showed. .. "

"Just..." Rude's hands moved as he tried to find the right words. "Just... tell me why. Why you do it"  
"Lately. .I don't know. .always been reckless and impulsive n' shit, you know that. .lately though.. I think I just got sicka bein' a victim.. .figured it was time I started fightin' back an' I. ..well, overcompensated."

"Understatement of the century," Rude mumbled.

He nodded. "I got pissed."

"I could tell."

"It's an improvement over mopey and suicidal, though. ..at least this time I wasn't INTENDING on scaring the hell outta you." weak defense, and he know it.

"You never do INTEND to scare the shit out of me, but you always do it anyway." Rude wasn't giving an inch. He wasn't.

"Well. ..maybe with the pills. .." he admitted. It wasn't conscious manipulation on his part, but some part of him had wanted to get his point across.

"There are better ways of telling me things, you know."

"At that time, you weren't listening. .." something Rude WOULD have to admit to.

"Still no excuse. I'm not stupid."

"No, no excuse...I was. .shit, not even sure what was going through my head then except. ..I was hurtin' so bad then I had no idea how to get through it..I've never dealt with that sorta thing well, ya know. ..and I was. .in a word mentally exhausted."

Rude decided it best not to mention that mental exhaustion was a daily occurance for him. Most days. Especially lately.

"I'm gettin' better. .shit.. . just didn't come ta terms with a lotta the shit that happened, but I'm doin' it now...still need you, though. ..and yeah. ..I know you care more'n you're lettin' on, but I'm not callin' ya on it. not totally. ..no need ta borrow trouble"  
Rude just sighed. It was really all he could do to keep from bringing up every single thing Reno possibly did between the first time he'd ended up with salt in his coffee to now that had irritated him.

And Reno knew it too. ..so he turned away, the look he got when he KNEW he was in the wrong with no excuses.

"But it's never going to change, is it? I mean, it's just who you are, right?" See? Rude was offering the olive branch first... just like he always seemed to.

He nodded. "I'm willing to tone it down. ..for you.. ..you know I like to play pranks n' shit...but I know not alla 'em are funny. .. Tseng wasn't too happy about his boxers all bein' pink from the red sock I tossed inta his white wash."

"Didn't that suit of the President's come out of your pay?" he asked.

"It did, yeah."

Rude sighed again. "Just... just tone it down a little, okay? The pranks aren't as bad as, say, the death-defying stunts."

He nodded. "I love ya. ..but then again ya know that."

Rude's smile said what his lips couldn't. He still wasn't totally comfortable with all the... lovey dovey gooshy romantic... crap.

"I can hardly wait tas be healed up all the way an' outta this place. .miss. .hell alla it. ..you always made me feel more alive than cheatin' death anyway."

Rude bit his tongue. It was probably best not to bring up what he was thinking about Reno, instead of trying to cheat death, just try to get in Rude's pants when the urge struck him to do something stupid.

It was what Reno was thinking, and that lofted brow said it clearly.

"You're injured. And I'm... not ready. So stop thinking about it," Rude's face was rather pink and seemed to get pinker as he spoke.

"Can't. ..you make me all fuckin' hot n' bothered."

"Stop that." Rude's face was going for the world record in blushing, it seemed.

"Don't tell me you don't feel the same." He gestured to the not-quite obvious yet but still there bulge.

Rude's hands quickly went over his groin. "Stop talking like that."

"Then stop tryin ta lie ta me an' yourself because you're too afraid ta let ourself get involved again." the way his hands moved when writing that showed he knew more than he let on.

"I'm not lying, I'm being...cautious."

"overcautious. .I fuckin' love you, but I need ta know it's mutual. .I need ta FEEL it. ..or I start ta wonder."

"No one ever died from being cautious." Okay, Rude knew that was a blatant lie -- in fact, he had caused a few deaths of the overly cautious in his time -- but he had nothing else, really.  
"Don't play that with me..and there are other kindsa death besides physical. .." That statement spoke so eloquently of how he felt. .  
"Reno..." he sighed.

"I felt. ..during the time when you'd lost your memory and then with you holdin' back. ..little by little. ..somethin' inside's been dyin' and dammit. ..it HURTS." there. ..he'd finally said it.

"You're injured," Rude said, standing up and fluffing Reno's pillows. He knew he was dodging the issue, but he didn't have a good enough for the redhead answer for why he was being so cautious. Besides, Reno was the risk taker; Rude... not so much.

"I fuckin' need you. ..and that's the answer I get." the words were scrawled with wild, angry motions.

"Reno..." Rude's sigh seemed to echo. He just realized that without Reno's voice, the room seemed... emptier.

"I need you to love me..to be in my life every fuckin' day of it. ..your touch on every fuckin' level..your chest to lean on. ..your steady presence that is the wall I lean on when I got no strength of my own. ..alla it"  
There was nothing he could say to make Reno understand, and Rude knew it. So he just sighed.

"Are you that fuckin' afraida losin' me that you can't even be there?" his eyes had misted some. .yes, he felt strongly about it. ..very.

"I don't want to mess it up by moving too fast."

"So instead... ya do it by bein' too slow.." he looked away. ..this was hurting. ..but he'd done his best to stay quiet about it.

"I'm not moving too slow for me." Rude could tell he was getting nowhere fast.

Reno just curled up on his side. ..his entire body radiating the need he had to know. ..to hear it from Rude.. .but it wasn't happening, and didn't look like it would anytime soon. "There's gotta be a happy medium here. ..there's gotta. ..but you gotta give a little too if we're gonna find it." the pad was held with his hand sloping over his hip.

"I'm trying." It was not a whine. It wasn't.

Nothing else was written or said. .just his pose radiating the hurt he felt. . .the hurt he'd done his damndest to hide in his effort to be patient. . ..as he let his eyes drift closed.

Another sigh from Rude and turned to walk out of the room.

Elena dropped into step next to him. "lunch? or whatever meal it is. ..you look like you could use someone to talk to"  
"I'll pass. Thanks." He turned towards the doors leading outside. He needed to clear his head.

Elena just sighed. .watching him go. .walking back into Reno's room.

his pose was "go away" and "I need a hug" all at the same time.

"Aren't you two the pair of happy campers," Elena said as she sat down next to the redhead's bed.

Reno turned over, picking up the pen "He's not ready. .I don't think he ever WILL be."

"You catch more flies with honey, Reno." Elena, quite frankly, was getting a little tired of always playing den mother.

"Honey's gettin' nowhere. .. neither is honesty. ..shit. ..do I hafta get him loaded again?"

"Couldn't hurt, could it?" She said with a smile. She was also getting rather irritated with the both of them dancing around each other. She had more important things to worry about... like keeping Rude's little brother from trying to move in with her.

"I think I will...I'm outta here later today. .Could ya pick me up a bottle of Glenlivit and some JD?"

"Breaking out the heavy stuff?" She teases.

"Damn straight. ..I'm sicka us dancing around, too. .."

"Give me your keys. I'll have the bottles waiting on your kitchen counter."

"Thanks yo." He hands her the spare door key. "Oh, And Laney. .. tell the little fucker to do the world a facor and piss Rude off again. .. maybe he'll finish the job this time." he let out a silent chuckle.

Elena frowned. "Which one? There seems to be quite a few 'little fuckers' wandering around these days."

"You know exactly which one, though yeah, wouldn't mind if he offed Josh, either."

She just shook her head, walking out of the room to do Reno the favour.

When the doctor came around with the paperwork a few hours later, he practically YANKED the sheet of paper out of his hand. ..waiting for Rude to get over to take him home, he'd asked Tifa to keep Rennan for the night.

Rude frowned as he watched Reno scrawl his signature across the papers' appropriate lines. Reno was up to something; he could feel it.

He didn't speak a word as he got into the car, no writing, not even gesturing. ..but he did bob his head in time with the music. .. when they got out, he went into the bag, pulling out the bottles, then pulling down two rocks glasses. .. .pouring himself and Rude doubles.

Rude's eyebrow would have met his hairline... if he had a hairline.

Reno gestured him to take his drink as he took several sips of his own drink.

Rude's face clearly was asking Reno for a reason for this sudden bout of alcoholism, but he took a sip of his drink anyway.

Reno just shrugged, turning the tv on to the baseball game that was on. ..Moogles vs the company sponsered Chocobos. ...he grinned. ..just mellowing out, gesturing to a spot on the sofa next to him.

"Why can't I root for the Chocobos?" he asked rhetorically, taking a seat next to Reno.  
Reno shrugged, he could root for who he wanted.

"I mean, I just don't feel right rooting for the team that a few people whose blood I spilled helped pay for..."

Reno downed the rest of his drink, practically daring Rude to keep up, before he poured himself another.

Rude raised his eyebrow. "It hasn't been that long since we've had a drink, has it?"

Reno nodded, it had. . .he'd been in and out of hospitals so much the last few months, when was the last time they'd been able to just relax?

Rude just 'hmph'ed and finished his drink, stending up for another one.

Well, it didn't take long before they were both pretty thoroughly trashed. ..Reno leaned into Rude's shoulder, then pressed his mouth to his, very very gently. ..just testing.  
Rude didn't even realize he'd belched in Reno's face until after the fact, offing up and apology and a kiss to the nose.

Reno quirked his brow. ..before locking lips with him again, just the tiniest bit more insistant. ..not lascivious, though.

A 'mmm' sound left Rude's lips as he hesitantly kissed back.

Reno let his tongue wander across, ignoring any feeling other than the pleasure. ..and surprisingly. ..it was all he felt. ..letting out a soft gasp. .

Rude found his fingers moving to tangle up in Reno's hair as he tilted the man's head back, tracing his tongue over those soft lips.

Another moan, his hands winding their way over Rude's sides and around his back. ..pulling him close. ..it felt so incredible.

A sighing breath escaped his lips as he moved to kiss down Reno's neck and along his jawline.

Reno returned the affectionate pecks. ..moving slowly and gently. ..despite Rude's lowered inhibitions he didn't want to take a chance of ruining this.

Rude paused, reaching for his glass and finishing his he couldn't remember what-th drink before going back to nibbling at Reno's neck.

Reno's hand trailed down Rude's chest, then along his side, finding that strip of skin on each side he'd almost forgotten about,, the one that drove him wild. ..he was hoping Rude hadn't remembered it either.

The gasp and shudder that nearly exploded from Rude should have been indication enough. He moved his fingers quickly, stripping off Reno's shirt -- but nothing more -- before going back to kissing him on the lips.  
Reno kept his caress up over that spot. ..he had plenty of ribs showing from being in and out of the hospital so much, but it would change now that he was home with Rude to cook for him again. ..he nipped at one of Rude's nipples after removing the wife beater that was his usual casual attire.

Rude gasped, his eyes going towards the back of his head as his fingers threaded through the red strands of hair.

Reno's hands then slowly unbuttoned Rude's jeans. ..his fingers trailing down inside them. ..playing very very gently, just tracing the shape in soft caresses. ..he had to show him. ..since he could not yet tell him.

Rude's breath hitched, his fingers pressing against Reno's skull as he felt those skilled fingers just tracing him.

Reno then leaned down, pressing soft, gentle kisses to the hard length...before swallowing him whole...his eyes sliding to hallf-mast at the sensation of having his lover respond to him again.

Rude's hands scrabbled at the couch, searching for purchase as his senses were blindingly overloaded.

Reno took him all the way into his throat, vibrating the muscles around tthe head...moaning a bit as well. ..tounge working around the shaft. ..his fingers working his balls gently.

Rude's breath was nearly exploding in and out of him as he sharply inhaled and exhaled, trying not to get off too quickly, but still trying to enjoy all the sensations.

eno lifted up for just a moment, putting one of the breath freshener pocket strips he kept in his jacket pocket into his mouth then diving back on, knowing the antiseptic in it would cause his flesh to tingle.

And tingle Rude did, right to the point of his eyes opening wide as he spilled himself down the redhead's throat.

Reno swallowed it down, then kissed Rude soundkly. .the bigger man would be able to feel how painfully hard he was as well. ..as he tested if speaking still hurt and he whispered "I love you. .." again, no pain, and he let out a contented sigh. .."Need you..." the words were a bare breath against his ear.  
Rude hadn't even realized he'd shut his eyes until he heard Reno speak. "Reno...?" his own voice came out in a breathy whisper.

"Was testing. ..it. .it doesn't hurt. ." he siezes the ear with the piercings in his mouth and whispers "I love you" again against the outer shell. ..tounge and teeth working in delightful ways. ..he was stiff as board inside the blue denim. . .

Rude's nerves were still firing on all cylanders from his recent orgasm, causing him to gasp at Reno's mouth's touch.  
"I want to feel you again, baby. .." he slowly slid his pants off. ..this was the first time since both Rude's injury and his assault with the rifle that they had been intimate. ..he wanted it to be special. ..it was obvious from the 10 inches that stood completely out from the crown of his thighs how badly he wanted and needed this. ..he leaned his body all the way against Rude's, chest to chest sitting up right now. .his green eyes showing no reticence. ..he whispers "I trust you. ..only you. ."

Rude was hit with a sudden bout of conscience. "Are you...? I don't know if I can"  
"We'll take it slow. ..I'll tell you if it hurts. ..I promise. ..but. .I need to feel you again..."

"I don't know..." Rude's eyes didn't meet Reno's. He truly wasn't sure it was in both their best interests to keep going.

Those eyes begged... it would truly hurt him both body and heart if Rude copped out on him now. ..he uttered a tiny soft voiced "please.. ." along with a soft kiss.

Rude just breathed deeply for a moment, and after that moment, looked into Reno's eyes. "If you end up hurting yourself...

"Like I said. ..we'll take it slow. ..I promise if it hurts I'll tell you. .but I need this. ..you don't know how bad I need this. .. "

There was a loud sigh, then Rude nodded his head once.

Reno rested in his lap now. ..kissing him. ..the eyes that had been misty the whole night finally overflowing in relief and so many other emotions...he found the bottle of Astroglide in the little table next to the sofa, yes, he had the lube stashed in every room of the house, you never knew when you might have need of it...he gave it to him. . .his hand squeezing Rude's in a way that so long as he didn't back out. ..he could take this encounter as slowly as he felt the need to.

"I... I don't know what to do," he said, his face pink. "I mean, I KNOW what to do, but I don't KNOW what to do, you know?"

"I'll show you.. .do you trust me?" That question. ..the one that had seen them through so much.

There was another deep breath before Rude just nodded.

Reno spread the lube over Rude's fingers...gently guiding.. .so many gaps, but he had no fear at all. ..despite everything he'd been through over the past year he had no fear of his husband or of what was to come in the least. ..as one finger slid inside he would feel that the flesh though still the tiniest bit scarred gave as it normally would with his touch. ..parting for the first finger. ..Reno letting out a soft hitching gasp of pleasure as the tip found that spot inside.

To say Rude's eyes were wide would be an understatement. He could vaguely remember the sensations associated with doing what they were doing, but to actually feel them again as if for the first time?

As he guided the second inside and it also found that spot his muscles TWITCHED, his entire body shuddering. .he let out a low moan as his head tilted back. ."Rude. .." the name came out a soft moaning cry.

"I can't... can't believe..." Rude's words were clipped short as he felt those muscles pinch at his fingers, his mind instantly wondering what it would feel like other body parts in there.

Reno as soon as he thought he was ready very very slowly stripped Rude the rest of the way down, the climbed atop him.. .slowly, inch by inch,sliding that length inside...there was suprisingly little pain, only the tiniest sting. .and when the head brushed that spot. .his muscles clenched and he gasped and let out a soft "ngn.." Rude was inside him.. .sheathed inside him again where he belonged..

Rude's mind had NOTHING on the actual feeling of being inside Reno. If he hadn't already gotten off but moments before, he would have came right then and there.

"Baby...I love you so damn much.. ..never ever leave me again. .." the words came out a hushed whisper. ..he was facing Rude, those tears clearly visible. ..but they were tears not of pain, but of how very much he loved the man inside him right now. ..his motions when he started moving were slow...gentle. ..wanting to make this special. ..wanting it to last.

Rude found that his mouth wasn't exactly cooperating at the moment, not that he really had anything earth shattering to say anyway.

As his body took over and he began moving on sheer instinct Rude's name came out of his lips in a rising cadance. ..his hair, now loose, spilling down his back, his skin glowied under the dim lighting, and even with the weight lost from being in and out of hospitals he was still beautiful, the hint of rib only adding to the mystique that deceptively fragile beauty gave the slender redhead.

Rude could only hold on for the ride, his hips slightly rising and falling in time with Reno's movements.

Reno suddenly stiffened. ..his mouth falling open. .eyes sliding all the way shut. ..body tense as a rail. his head craning back as his hands splayed over Rude's hips to keep himself upright. ..he let out a soft, hitching moaning cry just before his breath stopped altogether for a few moments as if he'd forgotten how. ..seed leaving him in soft white pulses that spread over his belly and Rude's pelvis as he felt himself falling forward against Rude...eyes half-closed as he clenched around Rude in waves for several long moments afterwards with the aftershocks that rocked over his nerves... ..one more soft whispered "You're... perfect. ..love you so damn much" as he lay there completely sated for now.

Reno's release triggered Rude's, and as he gasped for air, all he could see was the blood red hair that threatened to suffocate him.

Reno brushed his hair out of Rude's face with a single trembling hand. .."That. ..wasn't so bad, was it?" as he leaned against that chest. ..

"How on earth could that be classified as bad?" he asked, trying to catch his breath.

"You were nervous. ..but I trusted you...I knew. ..you'd never hurt me. ..and I sure as FUCK had no intention of hurting you...do you know. ..how very much I love you?" those green eyes pinned Rude's gold-flecked chocolate. ..he wanted to see in his eyes how Rude felt. .. even if he couldn't articulate it as yet.

"I know," was the bald man's response as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Reno's nose.

"I need to hear it sometimes.. .but now. ..I'm sure.. ..I'm so utterly sure of how you feel that I will never doubt it again." his eyes began to slide closed. ...he had every intention of enjoying this night before Rennan came back and they had to start into the family routine.

After a moment, Rude squirmed slightly, and once Reno had moved, he muttered, "Shower." Seems some things never change.

He ndoded. .."You got my hair?" he murmured. He was tired. ..but these little things meant so much, too.

An affirmative grunt left Rude's lips as he turned on the water.  
Reno stepped into the shower, sighing in contentment as the warm water hit his skin. ..he handed back the shampoo bottle. ..and he suddenly realized something that made him tear up all over again. ..through all of it. .all of the madness. ..they'd still managed to stay together. ...

As Rude washed the goo off of his body, he noticed Reno's tears. He wanted to ask, 'why are you crying NOW?'... but didn't.

He seemed to read his mind. "Just.. .amazement... I'm so fucking amazed we made it through this whole damn year sane and intact."

"Speak for yourself," Rude teased, lathering up the shampoo in his hand and beginning on Reno's hair.

He gestured silently for a moment, another of Rude's habits he'd picked up. "I meant us. .. TOGETHER. ..we always found a way to come back to each other. ..despite it all."

Rude just chuckled, tilting Reno's head back to rinse out the soap. He took a brief moment to feel his own head, noting that he needed to shave it. He was getting head stubble.

Reno leaned in and kissed him hard enough to leave them both seeing stars.

When the shower was finished, Rude set about getting together his supplies to shave the stubble from his head. Since he'd realized it was there, it was bothering him immensely.

Reno had two more drinks ready, and Livewire's food bowl, the cat had stayed curled up on the balcony the entire time, surprisingly enough.

After 15 minutes, Rude had finished, and he was feeling quite attractive with his smooth head. He never did like the way he looked with hair, anyway... other than that mohawk when he was 10. THAT was awesome... but not very professional.

Reno handed him the rocks glass, and sipped his own. ..though Rude would note how his eyes had begun drooping. ..as he sat back down on the sofa his head leaning on Rude's shoulder, those eyes slid fully closed with a soft twitch of the slender form.

"Never could hold your alcohol," Rude said softly, gesturing for the cuahl to come over and finish the half empty glass Reno had left. He finished his own glass, then tried to figure out how to get Reno to the bed without waking him.  
Livewire finished it with a soft mew, he knew how badly the emotional exhaustion had affected his master, and was just glad he was back where he belonged.

Rude tried, failed, then tried again to get out from under Reno without moving him. Finally, he managed to get himself up, Reno in his arms, and slowly was making his way towards the bed, trying not to stumble over imaginary holes and bumps in the carpet.

Reno as he was settled in the bed reached out for his aibou, though he never fully awakened. .. he wanted him there with him.

Rude flopped onto the bed, his arm dropping over Reno's body as a slight snore issued from him.

Reno when he finally awakened looked at the clock. ..it was almost 9:30. ..he sighed in contentment, not wanting to move even though Tifa would be over in two hours to drop Rennan off after his morning kindergarten session. So he got up. ..brewed a pot of coffee. .. .and made chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, bacon, the whole thing.

Rude's snore only got louder as he slept. Seemed even the smell of coffee was not powerful enough to overcome the deep sleep.  
Reno decided to go in and wake him the best way. ..he slipped back into the room, slipped the blanket down and slid that warm, skilled mouth down over that morning wood softly and slowly.

Rude's dream suddenly took a turn for the better. He was still he partnered with a tiny yellow duck dressed like a mafia hitman, but said duck was suddenly doing rather nice things to his nether regions.

Reno licked him like a lollypop with a soft, enchanting moan. ... scraping just a tiny bit with his teeth. ..

Mmm... that duck had some nice teeth... Wait a second. Ducks didn't have teeth. Rude peeked an eye open and looked down.

Reno looked up at him with dancing eyes. ..chest bubbling with a tiny laugh as he deep throated him. These morning attacks were soon going to become a habit again.

That eye that had opened closed again as Rude groaned, his hips rising just a little as he felt that lovely mouth.

Reno nibbled his way up, then slid it back down, that motion nice and rythmic. .. .it just felt good for things to be some sort of NORMAL again.

Another groan from Rude, and another few hip raises as his fingers went to Reno's hair, holding the longer locks out of the way of Reno's mouth. He knew how terrible hair tasted.

Reno took him deep nto his throat now. ..those eyes sliding closed a bit at the fingers on his head. ..those touches left him tingling.

With a soft, almost muted moan, Rude felt himself climax, his seed spilling down Reno's throat. It was, quite frankly, a delightful way to wake up.

After swallowibng the seed and giving him a good morning kiss he said "Got coffee and breakfast, we got a while before Rennan comes home from school yet, figured you'd wanna take it slow, since the only duty either of us has until the boss is out is guard duty."

"Coffee," Rude muttered, getting out of bed and padding towards the kitchen, looking for his favourite part of the morning.

There, on the table was a wonderous spread. ..eggs, bacon, chocolate chip pancakes, and a pot of hazelnut coffee with two cups already poured.  
"If I weren't already, I would marry you," Rude mumbled, going straight for the coffee.

Reno chuckled softly. ...chowing down.

Rude finished two helpings of breakfast and four of coffee. He got up from table, taking his and Reno's dishes to the sink. He paused as he walked by Reno, patting the man on the head and saying, "Good housewife," before continuing to the sink.

"I ain't no woman, yo. ..but I know what you like."

Rude just shook his head, going about clearing the table as well.

Reno caught a flash of red outside their window, and his eyes instantly narrow as his expression speaks volumes. "If that's who I think it is, he's gonna die."

Rude peeked out the window... to see a lady with a red hat on. He just rolled his eyes and went back to starting the dishes.

"Allright, so I'm fuckin' paranoid. ..his ass is still out there.." he settles. .finally just sitting to sip his coffee.

"From what I hear, Josh is still in the hospital," Rude added.

"Good, I'm fuckin' jumpy a little still.. " and he sighed. ..jumpier than he wanted to let on. ..the jumpiness despite the relative normalcy now would take time to fade.

"Can tell." Rude, finished putting the dishes into the dishwasher -- thank whatever muse was the inspiration for THAT device -- and headed towards the bedroom for some clothes.

Reno followed, finding a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. ..Tseng was pulling first shift with Rufus, understandably so. ..Tseng would call for one of them to relieve him when the time came.

Rude went for a pair of black windbreaker pants with an orange stripe down the side and a black wifebeater. He loved the way the pants felt, but hated the noise they made when he walked.

"Gym? I really need ta build the muscle tone back up"  
Reno really knew how to get his motor running. A trip to the gym was JUST what Rude wanted before the child came by.

Reno strode out the apartment door with those hips swaying. ..Nothing, not even the slight permenant limp he'd gained after the plate, had done anything to get rid of it.

Rude jogged with Reno to the gym, happy as a clam when they opened the doors and stepped inside. 


	48. Chapter 48

Reno was immediatly onto the weight bench...but when he looked up, he saw a couple of guys looking down at him that had seen the two come in together with matching rings on their fingers. ..

"We don't like your kind here."

Reno simply lofted a crimson brow and continued to bench press.

Rude rolled his eyes from where he was jogging on a treadmill. He really hoped Reno wouldn't make a scene. He really liked that gym, and didn't want to be blacklisted.

Reno had no intention of making a scene, but if one of the wo idiots started something, he had no problem defending himself.

One of the two leaned on the bar. "I said we don't like you ass-banging faggots around here."

"Too bad...take it up with the landlord, now buzz off, I'm workin' out."

Rude pulled his cell out of his pocket, stepping off the treadmill and towards the bathrooms. Once he was inside, he called Reno's phone, hoping the redhead would answer with just a 'hello'.

"Yo." But Rude would suddenly hear a grunt as Reno got up off the bench and was kicked in the back. Once the grunt sounded that was joined by the clacking of his bottom and top teeth together by the impact he could be heard to yell. "Who the fuck just kicked me?"

Rude's voice was a falsetto as he spoke. "Honey? Did you make it to the gym with Rude?" If he could get him to play along, he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

"I did, yo, but someone seems to have taken it into their minds that it's fun ta pick on the little guys, I know, lunch at 1, I'll be there after I pick up Rennan.." Then he was slammed so hard by a size 12 boot it knocked him to the ghround. ..the sound of the phone clattering across the floor would be heard.

Rude clicked his phone shut and just pressed his forehead against the wall, feeling the coolness of the concrete flow into his heated head. He was getting too old for that shit...

Reno in the meanwhile had taken one of the bars off the freeweight, his face. ..priceless expression of cockiness and fury mixed with his brows lofted. ..there were a couple of folk here who were about to get a good old fashioned Turk style beating.

One darted in, only to find a metal pole connecting with his jaw. ..the other when he did so found that same bar in the back of his head. The first one got back up, lunging at Reno again, knocking the lithe redhead down, but when Reno got back up he cracked the bastard across the knees. ..droppinbg him to the floor, then cold cocked him in the back of the head before returning the bar to the free weights, giving the sudenly cheering crowd a jaunty salute, and heading for the shower.. .was Reno tired of being picked on? Hell yeah.

There was a cluncking sound out in the gym, and Rude figured it best just to keep his head against that nice, safe wall. Oh yeah, definitely getting too old for that...

Reno strode into the shower room, not too much the worse for wear nbut he looked. .almost euphoric. ..THAT had been a better workout than the weights.

"Please tell me you left them breathing..." Rude muttered, not daring to look at the redhead.

"'course. . .but it was fun. ..no limit this time, just an aluminam free weight bar."

Rude just shook his head and sighed. Yup, that whole getting closer to 30 thing was starting to make him feel old.

Reno on the other hand felt so much more like his old self. .last night. ..had been simply incredible. He bent over and gave Rude a toe-curling kiss, That brawl had been just what he needed The kiss was nice, very VERY nice, but as he glanced over at the calander, he realized just why he was feeling older than usual. His birthday, his 29th birthday, was less than a week away. And quite frankly, the closer he got to 30, the more scared he was of being old.

And Reno two months after that would be 24. ..maybe that five year age difference WAS beginning to show. .he hoped not.  
At thirty, one couldn't really be a kid anymore, Rude believed. Regardless of how mature he'd been at a young age, 30 still loomed like a dreaded storm seen just far enough away to see it coming, but too close to run away from. At 30, you had to be an adult. When you were 30, you became fully responsible for your actions. At 30... you grew up. And that bothered him for some reason.

Unless of course you were Reno. .or Cid.Cid stil acted like a teenager and he was well OVER 30. Reno however had other reasons to mature...one that he had to get back upstairs for in less than an hour, so if he was going to get rid of the post fight high he'd have to do it quick. He leaned Rude back against the shower wall, drawing the curtain. .thanking God this shower room had one. ..turning on the water, kissing him fiercely.

Rude returned the kiss, but his thoughts kept straying back to how Reno would take his turning old. Would he still love him when he was old? Would they still do what Reno was trying to do when he was old? Would he still be able to perform when he was old?

Reno seemed to read his mind and he whisperd "According to Vincent, Cid sure as Hell has no trouble in this department, an' knowin' us we'll be fucking, like rabbits when I'm well into my 90's and you almost 100." before atempting to eat Rude's face.

For some reason, that really didn't help as much as it should have. Rude responded as best he could; it could be difficult when Hurricane Reno had his sights set on the Island of Rude.

Reno seemed almost to climb him like a ladder, he couldn't care less if those assholes came in here, he'd give them a show to remember. clothes hit the floor with the smallest of rattling sounds. .. including the phone he'd picked up on the way in that now needed a new screen. he moaned gently as his tongue met Rude's, eyees fluttered half closed.

Rude found it easiest to just hold Reno's bottom as the redhead climbed him. It served a dual purpose, one which made Rude smile.

The water served to lubricate him plenty well as he slid down onto Rude, it hurt just a BIT more this time. but it was a sweet wonderful hurt.

To say Rude was surprised would be an understatement. He had expected some form of foreplay or even a little teasing, but to jump -- almost literally -- straight into the main event? Rude was pleasantly surprised.

This was Reno's reclaiming, both of the big man and himself. ..whereas the previous night had been sweet,, romantic. ..this was all wild animal lust as Reno braced his feet against the wall and moved over Rude like a summer storm over the big man's native land.

All Rude could do was hold on for the ride and hope he didn't drop the redhead.

Reno was panting as he moved, the breaths harsh, loud. ..only to become quieter as he heard people enter the locker room and head into a stall next to theirs. .. he hoped they were enjoying the show, because when the head of Rude's cock brushed his prostate he sure was.

Rude's head cracked loudly against the concrete wall behind them as he bit his lip to keep quiet.

Reno let out a harsh hissing gasp as with one more thrust and a little whirl pressed that spot in enough to send him barreling over the edge almost unexpectedly. ..he sagged againbst Rude for a few moments, catching his breath.. .before he slid down him, peeking into the face of a bulky blond with familiar hair over the wall of the shower that had his brow lofted. "Can't tell me you've never seen two people fucking before, Strife."

Rude's head made a particularly loud crack as he spilled himself inside the redhead. If he wasn't careful, he was going to knock himself out, and wouldn't THAT be embarassing?

Cloud just laughed quietly. ..that laugh that said HE had also seen the tape. "You two do know how to put on a show is for sure."

That brought a slight flush to Reno's cheeks. ..he did NOT want to think about the implications of Cloud ENJOYING what he'd seen.

Melting into the wall would have been totally AWESOME, according to Rude. It would at least save him the embarassment of having to look Cloud in the eye ever again.

Cloud simply smirked and strode back out from the shower. .. and was that hair that was sticking slightly out of the locket he wore. . .SILVER?

OK, Reno just lofted a brow . . .THAT created an INTERESTING thought and he might have to ask the blond about why he carried a lock of silver hair in his locket later. . .though he suspected he already knew.

Rude was too busy doing his impression of a wall to be bothered with much else.  
Reno led Rude back upstairs once they'd both gotten redressed, riding both on the high of the fight and the sex. ..his smile wider than it had been since the hellacious year had begun.

Rude just tried avoiding anyone's eyes who looked at them longer than a glance. He was slightly embarassed by what had transpired... especially since Cloud had caught them in the act. He had a reputation to keep, after all.

Ok, so maybe Reno DID enjoy occasionally embarrassing Rude just a bit too much. ..but truth be told it was fun to watch the big man lose his composure on occasion.

Rude just went about making sure he was presentable before stepping towards the stairs. He just wanted to get back to the safety of their home and... wait for the embarassment to pass.

Reno as they came upstairs noted that Tifa was already outside the door with Rennan waiting for them. He KNEW she could in no way MISS the slight pink post-coital tint on his face, but he wasn't about to admit to it. Even if he was smiling so wide you'd think his face would break.

Rude cleared his throat, trying to make the redness in his face go away in front of his former crush object.

"Tifa. .why are my papas so red?" Ok, so the child HAD to ask.

Now RENO felt as if he wanted to sink into the floor.

"We just got back from the gym," Rude offered, hoping it would be enough.

Rennan nodded, seemingly satisfied.

Tifa however had a knowing look to her. .. had she talked to Strife on the way up?

Rude fumbled with his keys, finally getting the door open after a few tries, happily moving inside.

"I'll leave you boys to it, then.. . .I need to get back before my 1 pm opening time.

Rude grunted and nodded, moving towards the kitchen to make something for lunch. "Did you feed him?" he asked Tifa.

"Nope, he said he wanted some of those Drunken Noodles, so it looks like one of you is going to be calling." She smiled, the kid had picked up some of Rude's tastes in food as well.

Rude just smiled. "How about a peanut butter and jelly to tide you over?" he asked, knowing that even if they called at that moment, it would be at least an hour before the food showed up at their door.

Rennan nodded enthusiastically, then looked between his two papas and said "The kids were pickin' on me. ..one of 'em said havin' two papas was wierd. ..I wanted ta hit him, but Tifa said hitting people for words isn't nice. .." he seemed to hurrumph as he said that.

"She's right. ..it's not nice to hit over words."

Rude raised an eyebrow at Reno, his expression telling the redhead that he should practice what he preached as he went about making the three of them sandwiches.

Ok, so maybe Reno's temper DID get the best of him at times. . though in that case the words were usually accompanied by flying fists, or in this case boots. It hadn't been the WORDS that had started the fight, but the combat boot in his back.

In Rude's eyes, it still didn't excuse Reno's actions. He had to be a role model now, for his son. For -- he gulped mentally -- their son. Ah, best to go back to the sandwiches. They were safer.

"Though no one said if someone hits you that you aren't allowed to defend yourself. Hitting over words is not nice. ..but letting someone beat the tar out of you to back those words up is foolish."

Sandwiches, la la la, sandwiches... And they were done. Rude set three plates on the dining table, one for each of them, then sat down.

Reno sat down, chewing down the sandwich, watching Rennan do the same. He had made clear the difference in his eyes. ..he was not hitting for words, but to defend himself against the bastard who had decided to back up his words with a size twelve in his back, which, he might add, had left a fair size tread-shaped bruise that he was going to FEEL tonight.

It didn't matter to Rude either way. While he managed to seperate his job from his personal life as much as he could, that was one thing that had stayed in his mind since his mother nearly beat it into him.

Reno meanwhile had remembered the thing he had NOT yet done that he'd promised Rufus he would. ..finding homes for the kittens that would be here any day now. ..his first call was to the now 11 year old Priscilla. who responded "You mean it?" and a clattering in the background as she excitedly asked her grandma if she could keep the kitten. .it had taken a few minutes, but finally she came back on the phone with a happy sounding voice. "Grandma said yes!"

Oh yes, the kittens. The cuahl kittens. And Rude made it a point to give Reno the look that said, 'No, one of the animals is more than enough.'

His next call was Denzel, "You want one if Teef says yes?"

Rude could hear Denzel's affirmation from the other side of the table.

Tifa's voice could be heard saying as long as it didn't claw up her bar it was fine.

Rude's eyebrow raised at the whooping sound the brunette boy made over the line. Well, that was two taken care of. That left two to four more.

The next was to Yuffie who of course said "Bring it on, could use some excitement around this place." 3 down, 1-3 to go.

Rude's face clearly questioned the sanity that was giving Yuffie a cuahl to train. Damn thing would be stealing materia from everything just like the little ninja girl.

Finally, the call to Elena, to which one had been promised from the moment they'd found out Darkie was carrying, making sure she still wanted one.

Rude mentally tallied it up. If Dark Nation had four kittens, they were set. If she had more... Rufus was going to have Livewire's hide.

Then the phone rang again and it was Rufus, Dark Nation could be heard making what sounded like soft, pained mews in the background. ..looked like he'd made those calls just in time.

Rude took a deep breath, expecting the President to mention something about castrating Reno's cuahl again.

"We're comin', boss. ..an' yeah, we got homes for four at the moment, yeah, if she has more'n four, I got a couple more people I c'n ask."

"See to it that you do," Rufus said, his tone short. He was most obviously not a happy camper.

"Hey, Rennan. ..you ever seen a cuahl have kittens?" Reno figured it was as good a time for a biology lesson as any.  
"No," Rennan replied, his tone doing that little wave children did when they got a little shy, but really wanted to see something.

"Then come on with Rude n' I. .your kitten's about to be born. ..along with the others."

Rude's eyes went wide. "What... kitten...?" he asked slowly.

"Actually, it's for his class." Reno chuckled.

There was a visable sigh of relief that passed over Rude's face. "Are you sure he's not too young?" Rude asked. He wasn't certain, but he had a fairly good idea that Momma didn't teach him about the birds and the bees until he was about 10.  
"Never too young to learn." He was thinking, but didn't say 'Dad sure didn't think I was'.

Rude just raised an eyebrow to show his disagreement.

"At any rate, it's not like he's watchin' 'em bein' MADE, that I'd say no to."

"The boy still thinks girls have cooties," Rude protested.

"She's not a girl, she's a cuahl that thinks she's a housecat."

Rude gave him a look that said it didn't matter.

Reno groaned "Fine, YOU tell Rennan he has to stay in the bathroom while she pops 'em out.."

Rude stepped in close, not wanting Rennan to hear as he spoke softly into Reno's ear. "It's not my place to say, I know, with him not being mine and all, but I still don't think it's a good idea."

"And after fighting off Shion you think he can't handle it? I mean come on. .. he fried a 12 year old. ..but. .heh, tell you what, we'll see how he reacts, if he starts getting too squicked, I'll pull him aside."

Rude's sigh clearly said, 'okay. Fine. I'll compromise. But I am doing this whole thing under total protest.'

"Understood, yo." It was their first disagreement on how to parent Rennan, and would likely not be their last, but unlike a LOT of parents, they didn't scream and yell over it, they tried to find a happy middle ground instead.

"Which one of us gets the shotgun when he brings his first girlfriend home?" Rude asked quietly, putting on his shoes and jacket as he watched Reno get Rennan ready to go.

Reno had to laugh aloud at that "'slong as it's not onea Yuffie's an' she ain't pregnant, 'sall good."

Rude's raised eyebrow was a clear 'Just wait and see.'

Finally Rennan was completely ready, after spending ten minutes finding one of his shoes that had a screen print of Bahamut on the sides and a ShinRa logo on the sole which had been under his bookbag in the closet. ..they'd be seeing about the 2 bedroom condo in the morning that had just opened up.

Rude waited at the door and just shook his head. He couldn't remember being that disorganized when he was a child... But then again, he didn't remember much of being a child.

Reno had Rennan next to him, and damned if they didn't look like twins, each of them in jeans and t-shirts that said "Keep on rockin' in Midgar" on the front in screen printed letters with pictures of the monument behind them.

Rude just kept his eyebrow raised at their attire. He couldn't believe they went so far as matching outfits. At least he was different, in his dark sand-coloured khakis and crisp white linen shirt.

And out the door they went, they were a total of 15 minutes from the hospital, and Rno personally was GLAD to be out of there, he had no intention of returning for a LONG time if he could help it. As they strode in one of the doctors waved and had this look like "what are you doing back?" before he gestured in the direction of Rufus' room "Darkie's havin' her kittens" he explained.

Rude shivered. Birth... wasn't one of the things near the top of his 'to see before you're 30' list. In fact, it wasn't on the list at all.

Reno strode into the room, Rennan right behind him as he waved at Rufus, wincing just a BIT at the expression on the boss's face.

"You do realize that the entirety of this hostpital stay is coming out of your paycheck," Rufus said carefully. To say that he was NOT happy was an understatement.  
"I did NOT give the idiot the idea to fire off two shurikan at you. ..nor did I father the one who did have the idea. .you can blame the you married for that...and I saved your life, too." His tone was teasing though, he was in a good mood.

"Consider it payment for the unexpected litter," Rufus ground out. NOT a happy camper at all.

"which if I'd just let you die I wouldn't have to worry about, besides I already have homes for them" again, that cheeky grin, coule on tell his reunion with Rude had helped his mood?

That glare could easily cut through concrete walls if left unchecked.

Reno just shrugged it off like he always had done. "Besides, you'd take food outta my kid's mouth? shame, shame." he laughed before kneeling next to Darkie.

Rude hoped he wouldn't have to physically restrain the President... but he would IF he had to. He shot Reno a look that clearly said, 'Don't antagonize.'

Reno simply pet Darkie, yes, he was teasing, but he also knew when to shut up. ..the scar above his eye told of how he knew that.

Rude kept one eye on the President, and one on Rennan. Both were equally unpredictable once those kittens started coming out.

Reno surprisingly caught the first one, and Dark Nation did NOT bite his hand as he cleared off the bag. . .it was female, black and white striped like her daddy but with her momma's amber eyes rather than her father's ice blue.

"Oh, GROSS!" Rennan shouted, pointing. "She's pooping out the babies!"

Reno pulled aside his son with a chuckle, leaving her to do it herself.

Rude could feel his stomach turn as he watched the kittens being born, so he turned and looked away... directly into the eyes of a still rather pissed Rufus ShinRa.  
Tseng simply chuckled, shaking his head. "You know, it's really not so bad, sir, at least you don't have to put up with the kittens for more than a few weeks. ..as soon as they're weaned they're out of your hair."

"There should not have been kittens in the first place, Tseng," Rufus ground out.

"True sir.." but he wouldn't say, though the temptation was there. 'It's what happens when you leave a male and female cuahl alone in a hotel room'  
Rude poked his head into the other room to check on Reno and Rennan.

Reno was showing Rennan photos of what the kitten would look like in three weeks or so. "Ain't it cute?"

Rude smiled at them, going inside to stand by the pair. It was far safer than letting Rufus anywhere near him until Dark Nation was done giving birth.

The second one was male and black like his momma, with his father's blue eyes. the third also male and a carbon copy off his papa. the fourth female and a carbon copy of her momma. ..then. ..a fifth. .male, black with one gold eye and one blue eye, tiny, the runt of the litter. ..as soon as Tseng said she was done Reno led Rennan out. "Take yer pick for your class, kiddo."

The little boy frowned. "They're not really cute at all right now," he said honestly.

"Newborns usually aren't. I sure wasn't, and neither were you, but they get cute."

After a few moment's deliberation, Rennan finally pointed to the first one that came out. "Because I watched it," he said with a tiny smile.

Reno picked up the little black and whiite striped female who licked his hand. "She's gotta stay with her momma for four weeks, then you can come and get 'er."

Rennan nodded, patted the little cuahl on the head, then went back to the pictures he and Reno had been looking at.

Reno took over guard duty then, watching the very disrguntled tied up child who sat next to Rufus' bed in a chair. "I see you haven't decided what to do with THAT yet."

Shion froze, his eyes shooting daggers at the redhead. He didn't speak, though.

Tseng shook his head. "though I had contemplated sending him back to wutai to stand before the tribunal."

"You cannot," Shion said pointedly, then went back to silence.

"We have a treaty with Wutai kid, and your pops here is the princess's cousin. .she'd do it."

"They will not show leniency to a traitor."

"No, but they'd listen to Yuffie, as annoying as the brat can be at times. ..if she wants you brought before the tribunal, they'll do it. ..so if you want to see 13, co operation is a good idea. ..as is not biting the folk that are feeding you."

Shion said nothing, but his posture and eyes said more than enough. He was not defeated yet.

Reno nodded to Rude and Rennan when they came out, he was entirely Turk now, those eyes only softening for a single moment as he tossed his son a careless smile.

"Hey!" Rennan shouted, eluding Rude's hand to run into the room where Shion was tied up. "I know you!"

"Yeah, it's the kid you fried."

Rennan pointed and laughed. "Ha! You suck!"

Reno tried not to laugh, REALLY he did, but his son saying exactly what he was thinking. ..it came out anyway. "You'll make one hell of Turk one day, kiddo."

Rennan continued pointing and laughing until a look flashed through Shion's eyes and the boy quickly shut up. He'd been hurt by the elder boy before, and while he was confident his papas wouldn't let him get hurt... Papa Rude would be proud that he was showing deco--deco--restraint. Papa Rude always used big words anyway.

Tseng glared at his son, his look spoke volumes

Reno then let his expression grow hard again. "You, you hurt my son, and your stunt damn near killed me, don't think for a second I'm gonna recommend them going easy on you. You hurt what's mine. ..well you now know what I'll do."

"I do not fear death," Shion spat.

"Good. ..but it ain't death you need ta be afraid of. ..it's what they'll do to ya before they kill ya." Reno lifted his shirt. .."You see the scars under the tattoo? The same bastard who took you in believes in the 'traditional' Wutain methods of discipline. I have no doubt he punished you you just as harshly. That's a field day compared to what the tribunal'll do.:"

"I do not fear death," Shion said again, his tone indicating that whatever they chose to do to him, he would survive and become stronger by it.

Reno merely smirked while Tseng talked on the phone with Yuffie.

"You leave for Wutai tomorrow. .. Godo has agreed to send you before the tribunal for actions not befitting a shinobi."

Shion just closed his eyes, not speak again, nor really listening to them any longer. He had to figure out how to get out of those ties that bound him before he was sent away.

Tseng knew he would, so he checked them, making sure they were nice and tight, with the tie in between that made it almost impossible to wriggle out of.

Or perhaps he would wait until the transport. He was almost certain he would not be guarded as well as he should be, what with being a child and all.

"Sir, may I request he be sent with Yuffie to guard him? you and I both know how dangerous he can be."

Shion schooled his features. If the Wutan princess was to guard him... it would be much more difficult. But not impossible.  
Tseng when he received an affirmative grunt called her, she'd been staying with Tifa for the winter festival which was two weeks away.

After a deep breath, Shion opened his eyes again, just looking at the ceiling. He had some planning to do, and sleeping would not get that planning done faster.

"Of course I'll guard the kid. ..the brat's really been causing some trouble, and not just for Shinra but Avalanche too."

Rude grunted, pulling Rennan back closer to him. He still didn't trust the child, even if Shion was bound.

"She has agreed to guard him, Shake and Chekov will accompany her"  
Reno watched someone he DIDN'T want to see be wheeled toward the exit by an orderly, but he didn't say anything, merely hoping the bastard hadn't seen him, he was here with his kid, and was tensde enough with Shion here.

"What's wrong?" Rude asked quietly.

Reno simply gestured toward the doorway where a familiar flash of red was wheeled by. "They must be releasing him today. .I don't want a confrontation with Rennan here."

Rude nudged him back into the room. "Then don't let him see either of us."

Reno nodded, walking back in, just as the bastard turned. ..those eyes held a cold expression. but Reno seemingly relaxed when he didn't act. . .saving his revenge for later, maybe?

Rude just took a deep breath. He hadn't seen Josh's look, but if he had... yeah, the revenge was definitly later to come.

Reno leaned into him, a slight shiver running through him. .."We oughta get Rennan home. ..you guys sure you'll be allright with the dick kid by yourselves?"

Rufus walked into the room, his white suit which he had just donned in preparation for his own release covered in cat... birthings. "You said you have homes for them all, correct?" he asked shortly.

"Yeah, Rennan's takin' one for his class, Laney's takin' one, Priscilla and Denzel are each takin' one too."

"That leaves one, Reno."

"And Yuffie's takin' one. sorry, forgot."

"Then I suggest you leave now while you still have testicles"  
Reno darts out the door, unconsciously covering.

Rude followed at a slower pace, nodding to the President and the chuckling Tseng. 


	49. Chapter 49

"You wouldn'ta let him really do that, would you?" Reno still had his hands fluttering toward his crotch. he TREASURED the boys.

"He's the boss," Rude teased.

Reno gave him a look, no THE look, before climbing in with Rennan giggling behind them. "Nah, I don't think you really would, you'd miss 'em too much." Reno, subtle? never. .

"Children," Rude said, glancing back at Rennan. Ah yes, his rather traditional upbringing was showing.

Reno didn't blush a bit as he caught Rennan smirking at them. ..

Rennan was already buckled in, another thing he'd learned from Papa Rude.

"What am I going to do with you two?" Rude asked, pulling away carefully from the curb to take them home.

"Love us?" Reno's words were teasing. ..but the tone as it faded off left serious heartfelt emotion in it's wake.

"Guess I got no choice." Rude's word would have been harsh coming from someone else, but his smile softened them into a good natured tease.

"Nope ya don't. .but that ya don't resent it makes it mean a lot."

Rude just shook his head with a tiny smile and kept driving. Within minutes they were back at the condo.

Rennan was immediatly out the door with Livewire, playing with him in the playground out front while Reno went into the rental office to make arrangements for the rental of the two bedroom which was across the hall from the one bedroom they were currently in.

Rude leaned against the doorway, keeping an eye on Rennan while he lit up a cigarette.

Rennan yelped, feeling arms sieze him as Livewire fell over onto his side. ..the cat toppled as if hit with a sleep spell. He then let out a sharp, ringing screech like he had with Shion to let his papas know he was in trouble.

Shion was quick to cover the boy's mouth, and even quicker to throw a blind-equipped dart into the bald Turk's side. He nodded to his accomplice as he pulled the child towards the dirty looking van.

Reno came out of the office at Rennan's shriek, noting the blind spell he cast a quick Esuna, gesturing to Rude to accompany him to follow the scream.

"You don't learn, do you?" Rennan's eyes said.

Shion quickly tied the boy up in the back of the van as Josh drove away, gas pedal to the floor.

Rude blinked, feeling the Esuna wash the darkness from his vision. It took him a moment to get his bearings again, but when he did, he found Josh driving away in a van.

"He took my fuckin' kid. ..THEY took my fuckin' kid." His voice was laced with utter fury.

"Calm down," Rude said, instantly dropping into Turk mode. "We'll never catch them on foot, and if we take time to get the car, we'll lose sight of them." He opened his phone, dialing Tseng's number. "We have to call Tseng."

"Yes?" Tseng's voice was crisp, instead of breathless as they'd expect. ..apparantly he was NOT balls deep inside his lover as one would think he would be.

"How did Shion escape? He's got Rennan, and Josh is with him." Rude's voice was clipped as he spoke.

Tseng is immediatly up, a soft curse is heard as he looks into the bedroom, the chains they'd used to restrain him empty. "I am not sure."

"Keep your eyes out," Rude said, closing the phone and stepping towards the door. "He won't hurt him until we get there," he said pointedly to Reno. "For the time being... he's relatively safe."

"Bastard. .he knew right where to strike to piss me off. . .but I promise, I ain't gonna get TOO reckless." The words spoken as the electric buzz began filling him, but he held it back. ...he'd save that limit for Josh when he saw him.

"We get prepared, then we go." Rude's words left no room for arguement.

"If he hurts my kid, there is gonna be Hell ta pay. . .he hurts you again. ..same thing." Those words also left no room for argument as he slipped inside, going into the small footlocker at the foot of their bed where he stored his weapons. .he slipped the twin throwing knives from it, sheathing each around his thighs where he could reach them no matter how he was positioned, his 9 mm service pistol and he removes three clips of ammo. .then his emr, checking to be sure everything was tight and in working order. ..finally, the master spell with an all linked, the master summon he'd worn during the fight with Shion, master command, and finally his item pouch, making sure it was completely full with everything one could possibly think they would need. HE was ready.

Rude, on the other hand, went for a slightly less balls to the wall arming. He chose his favourite pair of fighting gloves, the ones with the little metal reinforcements that made things like bones go crunch. He opted for just a few items in his pockets, mostly a pair of elixers, a pair of remedies, and a pair of phoenix downs. As for materia... he decided to forgo it, figuring Reno was carrying enough for, oh, the entire continent of Wutai. Twice over. The only other thing was his service pistol, something he'd grown to love rather quickly since it had saved his and Reno's lives. A few extra clips in the pockets, then putting on his favourite pair of sunglasses, he was set.

"Let's go before your ex gives me ample reason to kill him. ..well, more than he already has."

Rude decided it was best to keep his comment of 'let me take care of him' to himself. He wasn't about to go against a Reno armed to the teeth by himself.

Reno was out the door, he awakened Livewire on the way out, seeing the cuahl at the moment as yet another weapon, since he'd trained him how to cast the barrier spells at will now. He climbed intto the passenger seat after letting Livewire into the back, he'd do no good to his son if he wrecked on his way to the rescue.

Rude kept his head shaking to himself. Reno was going a little... out of his way, in Rude's opinion, to be prepared for anything. Either way, he just started the car, driving away towards the Wutan District.

Reno of course had learned long ago from his years on the street you prepared for everything. ..not preparing generally got one killed or got someone you cared about killed, there in his honest opinion was no such thing as being over prepared.  
Rennan in the meanwhile watched the two, his eyes clearly saying what his gagged mouth couldn't. "My papas are going to kill you both, and I am going to enjoy watching it."

"They're seperated," Shion said carefully. He slid towards the building's shadows, preparing to leave. "I have other business to attend. I assume you'll be able to handle them when they arrive?"

"Of course...go on." Josh's smirk spoke volumes as he held up the blowgun that had a rather nasty surprise on the darts. "Thanks for the loan o' this thing."

"Just don't shoot yourself in the foot," Shion muttered, then melted into the shadows as he left.

"Looks like it's just you and me, kid," Josh said to Rennan, sitting down on a chair opposite the boy.

Rennan's glare spoke volumes, as did the waves of heat that came off his tiny body. Unlike his father he'd not yet learned full control of his limit break, and he was seriously furious.

Reno yelled and pointed "There, ya see the waves of heat flashin' against the window? That's Rennan's limit for sure."

"Don't worry. I'll let you go as soon as Rudy shows up," Josh said softly.

Again that glare said "You're going to die."

Rude stopped the car a block away from the heat source. Before he even left the vehicle, he turned to Reno. "Don't kill him. I don't care what happens. Don't. Kill. Him."

"And I ain't got the right. ..?" His question hung in the air as he softly, and extremely reluctantly, nods.

Rude again checked his firearm. "He's mine."

"Just as long as ya finish him. ..I don't want. ..well, THIS again."

Rude's look clearly told Reno that regardless of what Reno thought, Rude considered this whole thing his baby, and Reno was just there for backup.

Reno nodded, standing next to Rude as the bald Turk opened the door. .. only to hear Rude's shouted "look out!" at the hissing sound of the blowgun as second too late. The dart stung viciosuly as it dug into his upper arm, and he growled. ..

Rude charged forward, gun drawn as his vision honed in on the larger shock of red hair. He held up the gun as he ran, firing once into the concrete floor in front of Josh's feet. "Put it down!" he yelled.

Rennan yelled "papa!" as he finally managed to wiggle the gag free. ..his limit break blossoming full out and frying the ropes on him. ..

Josh dropped the weapon, dropping to his knees as he did so. "Rudy," he said almost reverently.

Rennan was suddenly in between Rude and Josh. ..Rude could tell Reno to stay out of it and he'd for the most part listen, but no one was going to tell Rennan that.

Reno meanwhile began to feel slightly dizzy, he wasn't quite sure what was on that dart, but the shakily cast Esuna didn't alieviate it.

"Rennan!" Rude yelled, his voice holding every ounce of authority in his being. "Get out of the way!" He levelled his pistol on Josh, but couldn't fire while there was a chance that little boy could get caught in the bullet's path.

Rennan before getting out of the way set his hand on Josh's legs.. .setting his pants ablaze. .."You'll never hurt my papas again." he says as he walks over to Reno who had begun almost noticeably swaying.

Josh didn't feel the flames, so high was he on some substance or another. "Don't tell me you're getting all paternal on me, Rudy. You never really were good with kids anyway..." Josh seemed to sway with every word as he spoke.

Rude kept his gun trained on Josh as he reached into his pocket, handing Rennan one of the remedies. "Use this on your Papa," he commanded. There were some things only a remedy could cure, and if he remembered Josh's style... the remedy would work just fine.

Rennan nodded. ..as Renno 's eyes suddenly went wide, then clenching shut as his nerves suddenly lit up, drawing a hissing gasp from him, as he drank the bottle Rennan gave him the burning pain began to fade off. .though the dizziness remained.

"Papa Rude's gonna be ok, right?"

Reno nodded before sitting.

"I never blamed you for that night," Josh said, his voice seeming to come from far away to his own ears. "Never ever."

Rude visably cringed. He still blamed himself for the events that transpired. He should have been more in control of himself.

Reno simply watched the events transpire, too dizzy to stay on his feet, he was glad the remedy had alleviated that pain that had torn down his nerve endings, but the dizziness was hard to contend with.

Renna narrowed his eyes as the shadows seemed to shift around them.

"I didn't want to press charges, but you wouldn't return my calls... You wouldn't let me talk to you... It was the only way I could think of to see you again..." Josh sing-songed.

"I'm a different person now, Joshy," Rude said, his voice wavering slightly.

Reno spoke softly "Yeah. ..he is. .he's the man I love more than life itself, I'd die for him if it came to that. ..but you wouldn't understand that would you?" He said he wouldn't kill Josh, but he could not resist the dig.  
Rennan's eyes went hard as stone as the shifting shadows took on human shape. "You stay away from my papa, dickwad."

The shadow spoke a single word, and admonishment for Rennan's choice of words, before disappearing. The ninja boy had more important targets.

Josh completely ignored Reno, so focused was he on Rude. "Come on, Rudy. We can have it just like it used to be..."

Rude shook his head. "I'm better than that now. I... I can't"  
Michael TW Kelley: Reno's eyes begged. ..pleaded. ..before beginning to grow heavy. ..whatever had been in that dart had packed a serious punch.

Rennan," Rude tossed back, getting the child's attention. "Take your father to the hospital. Call Uncle Tseng on his phone and tell him what happened." His voice softened as he spoke to Reno. "Let me handle him," he asked.

"I'm stayin'. .sorry. .but I need ta see this through. .I won't interfere. ..but I gotta see how it ends."

Renna called Tseng, though, who had just parked the car.

"Take your son and GO," Rude commanded.

Josh just smirked at the lover's spat happening right before his eyes. See? Rudy and that whore weren't right for each other at all.

Reno finally nodded, simply because he didn't have the strength to fight him. ..just as Tseng stepped through the door, Elena behind him.  
A single shadow noted that the blonde ShinRa wasn't there, nor did he seem to be guarded by any of the Turks. It was time. He slid through the shadows, undetected by even his father, heading towards the ShinRa's last known whereabouts.

Rude called back to Tseng and Elena. "Take Reno and Rennan and get them out of here. I've got it under control."

Which of course Rufus had been released from the hospital the previous day, but it was possible Shion wouldn't know that.

"Turks look out for one another, Rude, you know this. .no Turk goes solo, you are partnered for a reason." He gestures Elena to take Reno and the child out.

"This is personal, sir," Rude said. "Not Turk business."

Josh internally squealed in delight. Rudy wanted alone time with him! Hooray!

Tseng finally sighed, defeated. . and perhaps a little concerned when Renolet Elena escort him out without even the slightest bit of fight.

"The President," Rude warned, watching Tseng leave with the others. He turned back to Josh. "Spit it out, Joshy. What's it going to take to get you to realize I'm with someone else now?"

Josh laughed darkly. "That someone else won't be a problem much longer, Rudy dear. .."

"Hurting him will not make me come back to you," Rude said, his gun arm wavering. You could only hold someone at gunpoint for so long before your arm started getting tired.

"Oh, it's more than hurt. ..though I am sure he'll feel more than a bit of THAT before all is said and done. You see, if the wutains are good at one thing, it's concocting poisons. ..Shion has intentions of using the same one on your president."

"Where is the antidote?" Rude demanded.

"There is none. ..it's his own will. ..as long as he doesn't give in to the pain. ..he'll be fine in 24 hours. ..if he gives in and loses consciousness. ..it's lights out. ..for good. .it's what they use to test new ninja."

Rude had to finish the confrontation, or at least find a way to get the message to Tseng. That's it. "Will Tseng recognize it?"

"Quite likely."

"Then it's just you and me."

Josh looks up at him a slight smirk crossing those features so much like Reno's. ..he'd even over the past month tattooed his cheeks like Reno's. "How long do you think he can hold out, hmm? How long do you think he will be able to stand up to the amount of pain he will be in before succumbing? I did my homework, you know. Your little lover has a low pain tolerance for some things. And painkillers will do him no good, they increase the pain."

"What EXACTLY do you want, Josh," Rude demanded. He didn't have the time or the patience to play games.

"You. ..but then you knew that all along, didn't you? Maybe we should take this to the hospital, hmm? You can watch while dies in unbelievable agony. .thrashing, cursing, screaming and sweating. .like you left me."

"You're insane," Rude said, and he was torn between shooting Josh right then and there and leaving him to rush to Reno's side.

"Maybe I am. ..but you did it to me, you know. .just like you almost drove him insane. ..but it seems he's stronger than I am. .. lucky man."

A low growl bubbled up from Rude's throat. "Just... Just stop talking, Josh. I... I have to go to him. But I can't leave you here. And I can't trust you to stay, or to leave us alone, or anything. What do I have to do to get you to stay away?"

"Nothing you can do. . .I don't stop until I get what I want. ..and what I want is you. ..so I guess. ..the only way to settle this is a death match."

Rude looked to the heavens as if for guidance. "You can't fight me, Josh."

Josh smirked. ..another dart lay in his palm. ..this one with a sedative in it that would weaken the target and slow their reaction times. he pressed a hand to Rude's shoulder, as if to pat it in a friendly manner, piercing his skin with the dart as he did so.

Rude frowned at the prick he felt in his shoulder, and as he reached up to touch the injury, his hand seemed to be moving slower than usual. "What...?" he asked, blinking quickly as his vision blurred slightly.

"To even the playing field. "  
Reno meanwhile was almost frantic as the effects of the remedy left his body and his nerves bagan firing at random again. he bit his lip at first, his face breaking out in sweat, his entire body felt as if it was being burned alive. . he let out a loud screech as a wave of more intense pain shot through his nerves.

Rude swung at Josh, seeing his punch miss the redhead entirely. He shook his head, his vision again going blurry as he did so. He growled in frustration.

Josh laughed, raising his size 10 boot to Rude's chin.

Rude's head snapped back as he felt himself falling backwards. He managed to barely catch himself before his head cracked on the floor, the wind poofing out of him.

Reno let out another shriek, body thrown into convulsions from the fire along his nerves.. .he had no idea he could ever feel that amount of pain.

Josh stood over him. "Maybe I should just kill you." the effect, he knew, was only temporary. .it would burn of about. ..well now.

Rude gasped air into his lungs, trying almost desperately to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. "You wouldn't," he dared, knowing that Josh was the abusee, not the abuser.

"You think I wouldn't?"

Tseng motioned to Elena "I know what this is. ..you must keep him focused. .if he passes out, he will die."

"Me?" Elena asked, her face indicating that she didn't feel she was the one best suited for the task.

"I know you wouldn't," Rude said, his lips turning into a smile that Josh would know rather well.  
Michael TW Kelley: Josh gave one last smirk, holding the gun to his temple. He knew he had perhaps 10 seconds before Rude was at full strength again.

"Just talk to him. .." He turned to Reno. "You must focus away from the pain, I know it is difficult, but you must."

Reno nodded, green eyes finally focusing as he bit back another scream. "Where the fuck is Rude. ..?" The qyuestion was a harsh gasp."

"I don't know," Elena said, sitting down on the bed next to Reno. "Just... just... do whatever you have to do to keep alive, okay?" She was starting to shake.

"Come on, baby," Rude said, his voice dropping low as he smiled up at Josh. "Just gimme a kiss before you send me off." He had a plan, but he had to do some things Reno would probably be rather pissed about for it to work.  
Josh lowered his lips to Rude's, his finger resting on the trigger. ..

"Fucking hurts, yo. ..shit. .."

"I know it hurts," Elena said, her hands shaking like leaves. "I wish I could help make it better."

Rude opened his mouth, his tongue tracing Josh's lips before it slid between them. How easy it was to fall back into old habits... even when you were waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Josh moaned as the gun clattered to the floor. . .his hands grabbing Rude's head.

"Gotta fight through it... Rude better be allright, or I swear by all that's Holy I'm gonna serve Josh every ouncea pain he's given me."

"Rude'll give him what's coming to him," Elena said with a smile, her shakes making the bed move more than Reno's.

Just a little more... a little more... His hands moved towards the redhead's hips, lightly grabbing them as his tongue wrestled with Josh's.

Josh moaned, leaning all the way into him now.

Reno simply nodded, his teeth chattering now as he bit back the agony along his nerves. ..sweat dripping down his cheeks.

Elena reached out, dabbing the sweat from Reno's face with a washcloth from the bathroom. "Think good thoughts," she tried.

Rude groaned -- he WAS a man, afterall -- and broke the kiss. "How about you sucking my cock, eh? Just like old times..." he asked, lifting an eyebrow as he pressed his hips against Josh's, showing that he was, indeed, enjoying the way the redhead kissed.  
Michael TW Kelley: Josh sneered at him. "How about I make a trophy of it?" Once he'd said that however, he unzipped Rude's pants, taking him all the way into his throat,. He didn't have Reno's godly skill, but he wasan't bad either.

"How about you just do what I tell you, Joshy, before I have to give you a fat lip?" How easily those words fell off his tongue. Just like old times. Once he felt those lips, however, he groaned, his head falling back and his hands moving up Josh's body. It was dangerous, what he was planning, but he could feel his reactions speeding up even as he felt that tongue trace his piercing.

Josh vibrated his throat around Rude's cock, moaning.  
His hands moved to the concrete floor, searching for purchase along it. At least, that's what it looked like.

Josh then lifted up, plunging Rude in again, scraping a tiny bit.  
"God, right there," Rude moaned, his hands finding what they were looking for. His hips raised, pressing him further into Josh's mouth as his hands closed around the metal he'd searched for. As he felt that suction increase, he quietly pulled the weapon closer. With one last gasp, he spilled himself inside the man's mouth, bringing the pistol that Josh had brandished at him to bear, the end of the barrel touching the redhead's forehead. He quickly pulled himself from between those lips, not wanting to be bitten.  
"You wouldn't shoot me, would yo?"

Rude snorted, for all the world looking like he was going to pull the trigger... Up until he changed his mind, his hand moving quickly as he pistol whipped Josh right in the head.

Josh fell to the floor hard. ..eyes closing as he was knocked completely unconscious. 


	50. Chapter 50

Rude stood up, looking down at Josh while he refastened his pants. He... he just couldn't bring himself to kill the man he'd once loved. He couldn't. But at the same time, he couldn't let him go, lest he come back the very next day. Decisions, decisions...

After another moment's thought, Rude pulled out his phone, dialing Tseng quickly. "How's Reno?" he asked.

"Holding up, so far. Though I can tell it is getting worse. He flinches from about any sort of touch at the moment."

"Fuck," Rude swore, glancing again down at the unconscious Josh. "I need someone down here to pick Josh up."

"I will come down, how do you suggest he be restrained until he can be tried?" Yes, Tseng knew the boy would have to be tried, and probably locked away for life, if the two men were to have any peace.

"He's not YOUR son," Rude said pointedly before hanging up. He looked down at Josh, his face almost sad. "You could have let me go, Joshy... And if you did... we wouldn't be in this mess..."

Tseng arrived just as a soft groan signalled Josh beginning to awaken, he had a set of cuffs and leg shackles with him.

Rude nodded once to the head Turk, then broke into a run towards the car he and Reno had taken to get there.

Tseng chained him up, hauling him toward his own car. "You should have just moved on, Mr Miller" He stated.

"You should not have left your own lover alone," Josh warned with a tiny smile. Already a huge bruise was blossoming across his face.

"He is quite capable of defending himself, as that brat son of mine will discover."

Shion meanwhile had slid into the room which Rufus had been in in the hospital, and discovering it empty, slid through the shadows into the apartment he had found Rufus in before, shooting Dark Nation with a sedative dart to keep her from warning her master.

Rufus had his phone in his hands, turning it over and over again as he waited for an update from Tseng... Rude... anyone. After a moment, he stood, moving towards the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.

Shion made no sound except the hiss of the other blowgun as he arced the dart in Rufus' direction, hearing a meaty thud, though he could not see where it had struck due to it being dark.

The teacup was dropped, the fine Icicle Lodge porcelin shattering on impact with the hardwood floor. Rufus' body followed it shortly thereafter as pain not unlike the geostigma that had coursed through his body at one pont set his nerves ablaze.  
"Can you hold out, Shinra. ..can you last through 24 hours of this, hmm? Can you not lose consciousness? Prove yourself worthy of my father. .."

The only sound that escaped Rufus' mouth was a gasp of pain as he curled into the fetal position.

His job done, Shion melted back into the shadows just as the phone rang.

Rufus glanced over at where the phone had landed, his hands around his stomach as each ring made him want to vomit. His first assumption was wrong; the geostigma was NOTHING compared to the pain he was feeling.

Tseng chained Josh to the grab bar, one heavily reinforced to stand up to SOLDIER-strength grabs, as he raced back toward their apartment, once he reached it he found his husband on the floor, kneeling next to him. "I'm here, Dear Heart. .." he whispered as he picked him up, wiping the sweat from his brow and carrying him out toward the car.

The President's vision was blurry with unshead tears of pain. "Tseng," he breathed, a noise which was cut off by a whimpered moan as the pain coursed through him again.

"They got both of you. .." he whispered softly, cradling the ill blond as gently as possible. "I came when you did not answer the phone."

"Your..." Rufus started, then paused as his eyes closed in pain. "Your son is becoming a nuisance."

"He is, is he not? I believe I will simply finish him when next we meet." Tseng swept the bangs back so they did not stick in his lover's eyes. "Beyond a nuisance. ..a menace. You must stay awake, my love."

Rufus frowned, a little taken aback by Tseng's words in his current state. "You would kill your own son?" he asked, emotions so close to the surface as the pain stripped away his cool exterior.

"If I must. ..you mean the world to me...though. ..if you make it through this, he can no longer touch you. You officially become a member of the Kisiragi clain if you survive through the trial."

"Trial?" Rufus asked, coughing slightly.

"The poison which was given to you and to Reno is used in the Wutain manhood trial. ..if you survive it you officially become a member of the clan."

A laugh burst from Rufus' lips, only to be cut off by another cough and a moan as the pain returned twofold. "It's... it's a small miracle there are any men left in your clan."

Tseng layed him into the passenger seat gently, then drove toward tthe hospital, seeing Rude pull up just as he did, lifting him out of the car.

Rufus' hands were in a deathlike grip on Tseng's clothing as he watched Rude enter the building through watery eyes. The bald man was clearly on the mission, what with the way he stalked into the hospital and beelined towards where he was certain Reno would be.

Tseng carried him back, wincing as he heard an earsplitting howl that told of how Reno was in the middle portion of the trial where the pain was at it's height.

Rude's pace quickened at the howl, his form crossing the room's threshold as the sound reached its peak.

Reno's body relaxed finally as the wave died back, his breathing ragged, hair plastered to his forehead. .."shit ..shit. ..shit." he breathed.  
Rude stood at the foot of the bed, watching as Elena used an already soaked washcloth to try and wipe more of the sweat from Reno's face. "Reno...?" he asked carefully, not sure if the man was delirious or not.

"m'here. .shit. .fucking hurts. .." his teeth were clenched so tight one or two had broken off.

"Jesus, Reno, look at you," he mumbled, moving to help Elena clean him off.

"Yeah.. bet childbirth has nothin' on this. .." he laughed weakly at the joke.  
"Hey!" Elena said, playfully slapping the bed beside Reno. She didn't dare touch the man more than necessary.

Another wave hit, and it was dueling screams. ..he dimly heard the boss, VERY dimly, though Rufus' had more of a groaning growling tone to it, whereas his was sharp, high pitched.

Rude, for all the world, looked and felt about as out of place as a circus clown at a state funeral.

Finally, the wave died off, and Rude would find himself clutched tightly in Reno's arms as the slender man held onto him for dear life. ..taking what comfort he could while his jangled nerves would allow him to.

Tseng swabbed Rufus' brow very gently, whispering words of encouragement and comfort, telling him how soon enough it would be over and Shion would not be able to touch him again without paying the consequences before the Elders.

"You went through this, Tseng?" Rufus asked, his hand clawlike as it gripped the elder man's arm.

Tseng nodded "At the age of 11."

"How--" Rufus' words were cut off by a gasp of pain. "How did you do it at such a young age?"

"We are trained from a very young age how to compartmentalize. . .how to distance ourselves from physical pain.

Rufus had no response as his body was wracked with pain induced convulsions.

Reno's eyes were squinted shut as he gripped Rude's shirt in a near-chokehold. ..body too weak to thrash, only to tremble as his ragged voice asked "How much longer?"

Rude glanced down at his watch and shook his head. "Josh said 24 hours from the initial time of injury. I don't know how long it's been since then."

"He got me right when I walked in the door." his throat was so raw all he could do was whimper now.

Which meant they had half a day left, at least. Rude's brain wasn't doing so well with math since it was too busy being concerned about Reno.

"I c'n do this. .." he put his game face on in between the waves, determination lighting his features. "I got good ways o'passin' the time an' distract m'self but it wouldn't fly right now." he chuckled softly.

Rude frowned. "Anything that will help..." he said, then paused, finally getting what Reno was saying.

Tseng had to chuckle, even with the situation, Reno's humor stayed firmly in place, he lofted a brow at Rufus, his own lips curving intoa somewhat teasing arc.

Rufus frowned. "Is THAT what you did to get through this, Tseng?"

He nodded "Though I had only my fingers for assistance."

If the President was not currently being assaulted on all sides by a pain uncomparable, he would have inquired further, possibly even requesting a demonstration.

Tseng kissed his brow, being as gentle as he could, the lighter touches didn't seem to draw the flinches that firmer ones did, so he experiemented a bit more with gentle, butterfly touches in other places.

Rufus' nerves were already laid raw from the pain, so when Tseng's touch sent pleasant signals along them, he nearly jumped and moaned at the tactile stimulation.

"I think we have discovered our means of getting our mates through this." He informed Rude with a slight smile.

Rude's eyes were wide as he watched Tseng touch the President again, and they were even wider at the response said President made. He looked down at Reno, unsure what exactly he should be doing.

Reno took matters into his own hands, guiding Rude's down, and discovering yes. ..it did help. ..though he did idly wonder if he had the endurance for what it would take to keep him pain free through the remainder of the trial.

Rude's touch was light, almost hesitant as he circled Reno with his hand.

"Gods. ..that's...so much better than what I was feeling before." his eyes slid closed, heavy-lidded as pleasure flooded his nerves, taking his mind away from the pain.

Rude's touch was overly careful, and he kept glancing at Elena, Tseng and Rufus almost nervously.

Elena took her cue, darting out for a drink...preferably. ..something very, very hard.

Tseng's touches became less tentatvive and more direct, as judging by the sounds of the moans Rufus was either no longer in pain or was well-distracted.

Reno arched into the touch, the pain fading into a background hum.

Rufus gasped, but whether it was from pain or pleasure, he wasn't entirely sure.

Tseng wrapped his mouth around him now, taking it slow, soft little licks as a hand strayed up for a pert pink nipple.

The nurse noticed on the monitors how their vitals began stabalizing and lofted a slim brow... she was NOT going to ask.

Rude's face tinted pink the entire time the nurse was there. He couldn't believe what he was doing... in public.

"Keep doing. .. what you're doing, it's helping." she whispered with a smile as she strode back out."

Reno was so lost in the sensation he didn't even notice, this beat hurting anyday.

"Reno?" Rude asked, his face still red. "Are you... okay?"

"fuck yeah. ..don't. ..Gods, don't stop. .."

A tiny sigh of relief escaped Rude as he leaned forward, his breath ghosting against Reno's ear. "Whatever I can do to help," he offered, tightening his grip slightly.  
Tseng meanwhile had Rufus' cock buried to the hilt in his throat, he had learned a few things.

"I. .I fuckin' owe you. Who knew mind blowing sex would be a literal life saver, yo?" He chuckled.

To say Rufus was thoroughly distracted would be an understatement. He wasn't even entirely sure Rufus was his own name with the way Tseng's throat was constricting around him.

Rude shook his head slightly. "Penance," he whispered, almost too quiet for Reno to hear.

"If this is penance you can sin whenever the fuck you want." and his speech was stolen when a wave of utter bliss sang over him, his nerves alight not in pain, but in pleasure. ..he wasn't asking how long any more, he no longer cared.

Tseng's tongue danced along the tip as he began bobbing his head up and down, he was enjoying himself.

Rude figured it was best not to mention exactly what he considered it penance for. That could be saved for another time, when lives were not quite so much at stake. "You want more, just ask."

Reno didn't ask either, thought it was probably best not to, the last thing he wanted was to be angry when he felt. ..well, like this. .. he was gasping, his entire body singing. ..he wanted more.

Rude could tell Reno wanted more, but he wanted the redhead to ask for it. He didn't want to make assumptions and end up bringing the pain back.

"More. .fuck. .make me feel. .more. ." he gasped it out, he almost had no thought left., his mind turning to complete mush.

Rude's hand stilled for a moment, thumb and index finger around Reno's head. Before the redhead could complain, he began squeezing just his fingers, one at a time, around the man, starting with his pinky, then moving upwards before reaching the index finger and thumb, at which point he reversed the motion until it returned to his pinky.

Reno shouted...but this was not a strangled scream of pain. ..his body bucking up into his lover, looking for even more, the head leaking a tiny bit. . .the new sweat forming a sweet-scented one of passion.

"More?" Rude asked, his lips touching Reno's earlobe as he spoke.

"M-more. ..please.. ."

Tseng meanwhile was suckling Rufus with all the strength he posessed, enjoying the heady moans intensely. He loved bringing the normally cool man pleasure enough to make him lose that tight control.

"How much more? Tell me what you want..." Rude's voice deepened as he spoke, the bald Turk finally getting into the action a little more, less concerned about Reno's possible death.

"Make me forget where I am. ...all. .all of it. "  
A deep chuckle bubbled from Rude's throat as his hand released Reno. He moved slowly, knowing he had to draw it out as much as possible to keep the redhead from lapsing back into pain. He paused once his lips were within inches of Reno's arousal, just breathing gently on the tip.

"Fuck yo, stop teasin'. .." he was so aroused, his body pulsing with endorphins that would likely last for a long while after the encounter. ..

"I think you like it when I tease," Rude offered, his breath ghosting over Reno's twitching arousal.

"There's teasin', then there's torture. .." then he broke off, he was buzzing better than what X did to him.

"You can take a lot more than this," Rude said, flicking his tongue out to just taste the tip of the redhead's erection.

"Want more.. need more..fuck. ..need you. ."

"Keep telling me that and I might believe you," he chuckled, flicking his tongue out again to tease.

Reno hissed, back arching. .he felt so fucking fantastic, even if he died right now he could care less.

Rude, on the other hand, would care, which was why he was being more of a tease than, well, usual.

Tseng was also teasing, licking, tounge dancing around tthe little slit.

Reno's slender hips were jumping up and down, he was alive with ecstacy, his breathing come in soft pants as he floated on this river of sensation, so close, but so far. ..when he came.. .fuck, it was going to be doozifying.

"More?" Rude teased, his tongue circling around the head, not taking it into his mouth yet.

"M-more. . ." he panted.  
Rude's lips covered just the head of Reno, his tongue a light touch as he pulled on it with a very light suction.

Reno shuddered. ..he was trying to hold back. .trying so hard. .."Hojo fucking palmer...shit. .." the most grotesque things he could think of in order to stay in this state. ..

Rude let his partner slip from his mouth, his eyes shining with mischief as he looked up at Reno. "Having problems?" he teased.

"One you can solve when it's time. ..fuck. ."

"Wanna give me a hint?" he asked, finding it horribly amusing watching Reno in a state he usually put Rude in.

"I wanna fuckin' explode into bitty fuckin' pieces. .but if I do now I'd likely get thrown into blackout, and that's not a good idea. ..not a bad one either, 'cause fuck, I'd sure as fuck die happy.." he panted.

Rude's fingers lightly brushed over Reno's sensitive skin, avoiding the telltale places that would have him howling again in pleasure... for now.

Tseng was doing something quite similar to Rufus at the moment, and getting much the same result, only he greeted the situation with a lofted brow, pointing at the clock to indicate they'd been at it for a long while now. . ."an hour to go" he mouthed."

Reno's shuddering form was lit completely up like a christmas tree as it sought a peak Rude was just BARELY keeping him from reaching, his muscles taut.

Rude leaned in towards Reno's ear, flicking his tongue out between sentences to tease at the shell. "I get to keep you like this for another hour," he whispered, his fingers moving to toy lightly with Reno's nipples.

Reno seemed not to hear him...his limbs twitching with so much feeling he had no description for it. ..he was tingling. ..and knew when he went it would practically knock him into next week. "R-rude. ..f-fuck. .." his muscles were in utter spasm.

"Not yet," he replied, moving his fingers down to trace complex patterns over the redhead's abdomen, avoiding the twitching flesh between his legs.  
Reno was shaking so hard you'd think he'd fall apart, muscles tensing and tensing in a strange paody of what his cock would soon be doing. ..even the air making him twitch and moan.

Rude moved slowly, his eyes never leaving Reno's face. He carefully placed himself between the redhead's legs, still fully clothed, fingers barely touching the inside of his partner's thighs.

"ah sh-shit. ..Rude. ..it's. ." his head tilted back and a low, growling moan rose from him, his face bright red breaths coming out in shortened gasps.

"It's what?" the bald man asked, his one hand going to cup the redhead while the other reached a little further back, searching.

He had no words. ..except a lowly moaned "utterly fan-fuckin'-tastic." he lifted himself almost out of habit.  
Rude's questing finger found what it was searching for, lightly tracing the ring of muscle it found, but not pushing past. Not yet, at least.

Another hitching gasp and a moan that rivaled every sound he'd made so far.

Tseng gestured at the clock again "30 minutes."

Rude raised his eyebrow in a gesture that said he wasn't sure Reno was going to last a half hour. And the bald man was almost certain the redhead would pass out immediately after climax. It wouldn't do them any good to make it that far and have it all be for naught.

"Jack Shinra jacking off. .." he whispered with a fervently eyed apology Rufus' way for using his father as an aid to keep him from going too soon.

"Jesus, Reno, that's DISGUSTING," Rufus panted, his face almost as red as Reno's hair and his breath coming in gasps.

"It.. fucking works though. .."

Rude blinked, then smiled slightly as he pressed around Reno's opening, not seeking entrance so much as keeping the redhead exactly where he wanted him.

Reno let out another hitching gasp...he was so fucking hot.. .so damn on fire he could barely stand it. ..he had no idea how much time had passed, his brain and most of his nerves mush. ..he was caught between wanting to cum like crazy and stay just like this.

Rude glanced over at Tseng and Rufus, eyes asking the man if it was time yet.

Tseng nodded, then dipped down and slid two fingers inside of Rufus, scissoring them gently before sliding inside in one motion.

Rufus' hands searched frantically for purchase on anything, but not finding anything good enough, even after grasping at the sheets under him. His body was humming, singing, downright ELECTRIC with need to finish.

"Tseng says I can have you now," Rude whispered in Reno's ear. "Do you want that?" Okay, so he was going a little far with the teasing.

"Please. .." he was sobbing with need. ..his entire body on the verge of shaking itself apart.

Tseng drove hard and fast, knowing his lover was going to go entirely insane if he didn't come soon. ..Tseng was glad to oblige him now. reaching around to stroke him.

At the realization that he no longer had to hold out, Rufus came hard, fast, and nearly blinding. He nearly screamed his release, passing out before the sound had even finished coming from his body.

Rude, on the other hand, just pressed the tip of his thumb inside Reno. "Are you sure you can hold out for me?" he teased.

Reno nodded..."I held out this long, right?"

"What a trooper," Rude teased, removing his thumb and unzipping his zipper, releasing his hard flesh to the air.

A loud cry signaled Tseng spilling into his unconscious lover, he hit the bed next to Rufus, his ears ringing.

Reno gasped at the mere SIGHT of it. ..it was gorgeous. ..just the right size to drive him utterly crazy

"I have no lube," Rude said, rubbing the tiny drop of fluid that had collected at his tip along Reno's opening.

"don't care yo. ..need you insidea me. . .now..."

"Now?" Rude asked, then suddenly pushed against that ring of muscle. "Or now?" Wow. Reno felt so tight it almost hurt.

Reno did a little hip thrust back that drove him all the way in, letting out a soft, gasping, sobbing moan of desire and bliss.

Rude pulled away slightly before pushing back in, the second thrust a little easier than the first.

Reno let out a strangled cry as even the buzz of pain he'd felt in the background suddenly disappeared and his mind was utterly flooded by the pleasure through every pore...his breath leaving his lungs as the second thrust brushed his prostate sending tendrils of even more intense feeling through him.

Rude swore, the words drowned out by gasps after them, as he pulled away and thrust again, this time even easier. "Whenever you think you can take it," he gritted out between clenched teeth.

"More..fucking a. ..m'gonna shake ta pieces..." his teeth were grit,, his body humming. ..he was so incredibly close. . ."Please.. .make me go like a fucking faucet. .."

"How about a rocket?" Rude asked, his teeth gritting as he began rocking in and out of his lover's body.

"Gods. ..yes. .."

The heat that was eminating off Reno was incredible, adding to the sensation of being inside him. "Ah..." Rude groaned, feeling a certain tightening inside his abdomen. "Whenever... whenever you're ready."

Reno let loose a loud, hitching gasping cry. ..a "now" interspersed among the cry somewhere. ..his eyes closing tightly.  
The heat tightened around him, making his eyes open as wide as they would go as his fingers dug into Reno's skin, bruises forming almost instantly from the pressure. His vision went white as he felt himself spasm inside his lover.  
Reno with one last gasping cry shot to a level above his head before his eyes closed all the way and he tumbled, a boneless mass, onto the mattress, blackness covering his vision completely.

Rude could only gasp as he watched Reno pass out, his eyes darting over to Tseng for confirmation that they had survived the 24 hour time limit.

Tseng nodded, then called to Shion "I know you're there. ..you can no longer touch either of them unless you wish to be brought before the elders for trial. ..they passed the trials and are now one of our clan."

A smile could be seen from the shadows, and not a very heartening one, either. "So you say, Father... but remember, some of us were exiled..." With that, he fled into the darkness, already planning his next attack. 


	51. Chapter 51

Reno's nose twitched at the heady scent of chocolate, hazelnuts, and coffee all blended together, not opening his eyes quite yet, he idly wondered what time it was and how long he'd been out, he dimly heard voices, though he was not quite aware enough to identify any of them as yet. He was torn between wanting to wake up, and wanting to roll over and fall back into sleep again.

Rude had his feet hooked under the footboard of the bed, doing situps while he waited for Reno to wake up.

"Who's got the coffee" he mumbled quietly. "Smells good."

Rennan bounced up onto the bed, indicating either it was early in the morning, before he was due in school, or very LATE in the morning, after he had been let out.

Another mumble "What time's it?"

"11... 30..." Rude said inbetween situps. "No school... today. Parent... confrences..." If Reno could see Rude's face, he would be able to tell just how poorly the bald man had handled THAT meeting.

"Shit, sorry yo. ." He blushed cherry-red, he'd KNOWN those were today, but unfortunatly, idiots and nuts were unavoidable.  
"Papa Rude's ears were red, Mrs. Carrigan said she thought he was cute."

"YOUR child doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut," Rude said, standing up and brushing some dust from the floor off him. "And he has missed homework, which I think YOU should help him with." He glanced over at the tiny redhead. "And my ears were not red." Rude dropped back down, changing to pushups this time.

Reno patted the bed, helping Rennan with his letters and counting excersizes, and reading the book they'd sent home with him, then signing off on the sheet that said he'd read it.  
Having done exactly 100 pushups and 200 situps, Rude felt his could skip a trip to the gym that day. He stood again, brushing off that tiny bit of floor dust from his hands and clothes.

"Yuffie is currently hunting my menace of a child." Tseng stated as he ran his fingers through a still-sleeping Rufus' hair. "ONce she has apprehended him he will be brought before the tribunal. Merely using the drugs for the trial on non-Wutains will be enough to have him executed."

Rude sighed. He'd been doing a lot of thinking about Tseng's child lately. "Do you think... maybe... he wants to be executed?"

"Perhaps. He hates Shinra, and everything to do with it. . .but he cannot be allowed to roam free, either, or we will be looking over our shoulders for our entire lives." Tseng also had been doing a lot of thinking. "I do not think it wise to bring a child intentionally into the situation as things stand.. it is likely Rennan will be declared heir for Rufus and I's holdings. ."

Reno patted a spot for Rude to sit as well, he yawned, he was still somewhat sleepy, but at least he was pain free now and able to move around spmewhat.

Rude sighed. To be a child and feel so strongly about something that you would give your life to prove that point? It was a sad, sad world they lived in. He glanced over at Rennan, silently hoping that child would at least turn out normal. ... Normal? With Reno as a father? Rude chuckled to himself.

Reno seemed to read his mind, and smiled whispering "Normal's over rated you know. ..but at least he'll be loved."

Rude gave Reno a look that clearly said they would discuss that later, possibly over dinner and a bottle of good wine.

Reno finally braved a bathroom trip, when he got up his legs were slightly shaky, and he had a bit of a limp.

"Papa Rude. ..Why's Papa Reno limping?"

Rude frowned, completely missing exactly what the child was asking. "I'm not sure," he said carefully, standing up to follow the man into the bathroom. He waited until he heard a flush, then walked in, closing the door behind him.

Reno's ears were bright red, he'd heard EXACTLY what Rennan had said, he also heard Tseng's soft chuckle, telling of the Wutain's surety that Rufus would be much in the same state when he awakened.

Rude's frown deepened, still not getting the point. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"YOu have twelve hours of the most mind-blowing sex in the universe, you'll probably limp too." He then chuckled a bit.

Suddenly, Rude's eyes went wide, frown fading as the colour seeped into his skin. Oh. Yeah.

"Trust my kid to notice it. .somethin' tells me the boss'll be in similar straits once he's awake, and like me I don't think a little temporary limp'll bug him a bit."

Rude glanced at the bathroom mirror, seeing just how red his face had gotten. "You, um... you didn't seem to mind earlier... and why didn't you tell me?"

"don't mind, not a bit. ..as for why not say anything. ..didn't know until I actually got up, didn't see any point in saying anything until I knew for sure."

Rude just glanced around the bathroom almost nervously. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Heh, better than bein' dead, right? No need ta apologize, it was GREAT. ..somethin' I'd love to repeat. ..if not for QUITE so long."

A tiny smile hinted at the corner of Rude's mouth.

Rufus, on the other hand, had just woken up with a rather pleasant, dull ache.

Tseng chuckled as the blond awakened. "You are unharmed...I trust you enjoyed it."

Reno pinned him against the wall, planting a passionate, but not too harsh, kiss on the lush lips.

Rufus glanced over at the way Rennan was staring that them with a grin on his face. "Yes, I did. However, there is a child that is a little too young to see what I would like to do with you to show my gratitude."

Rude returned the kiss, his hands going up and around Reno to hold the redhead there as they fought for dominance of the kiss.

"I get it, ya want me ta go find Auntie 'Lena, right?"

Reno let out a soft gasp, every time felt so damn fantastic.

Rufus sighed. "No, Rennan, you don't need to. Uncle Tseng and I can wait." He didn't want the child to start thinking he was a nuisance.

Rude pulled away slightly, nipping at Reno's swollen lips before running his tongue over them.

"sokay, I wanna play anyway." He let out a sly grin as he tracked down his ball and glove. .the child since being under the care of the four remaining Turks had blossomed and come into his own. "Livewire, come" he patted his hip for the cuahl to follow him.

Reno tilted his hips forward and his head bback, groaning slightly, Rude's name on his lips.

Rufus sighed again, watching the child go. "I will never understand children," he said softly.

Rude's head moved back, his hands falling to Reno's hips as his head made a clunking sound on the hollow door.

"He is his father in miniature. ..they both have unerring sense of what other people need. Even if the elder one does not always pay it heed." Tseng let out a dark chuckle.

As their crotches touched it was like a charge ran through him. ..another stuttering cry of his partner's name falling from his mouth as he frantically searched for purchase against those strong arms.

Rufus groaned. "If that child is anything more like his father, I would be terrified to step foot in his presense."

Rude leaned his head forward to speak softly into Reno's ear. "Would have thought you'd had enough last night," he said.

"You're like a fuckin' addiction, yo. ..can never get enough"  
Tseng pressed a soft kiss onto Rufus' mouth, very gentle with him after the previous night.

"There are worse things to be addicted to," Rude chuckled, claiming Reno's mouth again almost hungrily.

"Mmm... Tseng..." Rufus sighed, his hand coming up to cup his lover's cheek.  
"I'd think you would still be sore, dear heart." Tseng's voice held a soft chuckle.

Reno shuddered as he linked his legs with Rude, milk and chocolate rolling together where their flesh met, thrusting harder, the hot shaft against his own driving him near insane as the sweet scent of lovemaking filled his nostrils. "You are so un-fucking-believably incredible."

"I am," Rufus answered between breaths.

A deep chuckle came from Rude's throat, followed by a deeper moan. "I'm not really doing anything," he said with that tiny smile.

"You tell me when it is too much. .it is under your control." Tseng whispered to him "Anything you wish. ..you must only ask it of me."

"Ya don't have to. ." a shiver ran up his body, his muscles trembling just the tiniest bit under the pleasureable assault.

"Touch me," Rufus panted.

"YOU don't have to..." Rude replied.

Tseng began stroking those hands up and down the slender, pale skinned form, the touches soft, gentle. ..with so much love behind them.

Reno's muscles trembled a bit harder, a low keening moan rising up from him, barely more than a tiny breath. ..the heat, the hardness, all of it left him tingling. He trust his hips forward more as he sought even more of that contact that set him aflame.

Rufus' body shivered with sensation, those featherlight touches making his skin prickle in gooseflesh.

Rude grabbed at Reno's hips, pulling them flush against his own as he ground against the redhead.

Reno's head craned back far enough to hit the wall, but the pain didn't even register as with a keening moan and teeth in his lip he shuddered, hot fluid splashing in between them, the release leaving his limbs jelly like.

Tseng meanwhile replaced hands with mouth, brushing the skin with soft, furtive kisses.

Rufus buried his fingers in the sheets of the bed. He gripped them as if they would give him some sort of relief from the near torture Tseng was bestowing upon him. "Please..." fell from his lips in a whisper.

Rude felt Reno's climax, and groaned, feeling his own being held not that far off.

Tseng pressed harder kisses, his hands wrapping where he knew Rufus wanted them.

Reno as he still shook with the aftershocks knelt down in front of this one he considered his messiah, his savior, his GOD and worshiped him with lips and teeth and tongue, soft gasps coming from, his lips as he tasted of him with great hunger.

Rude's hands searched for anything to grab on to, and found the door knob. Thank whatever diety would listen the door had to be pulled to open, otherwise... Rude didn't want to continue down that train of thought.

"Oh, Tseng..." Rufus panted, his hips thrusting almost delicately into the elder man's hand.

Tseng pulled and tugged, before recreating what Reno was doing right now though he wouldn't know that.

Reno at the same time cupped Rude's balls with one hand while the other wrapped around the shaft as his mouth worked up and down it, tounge tickling the piercing. ..if he noticed the scent of Josh's cologne on Rude he didn't say anything.

Rude's knees threatened to give out from under him as he came, hard, in Reno's mouth.

Rufus gasped, not any particular word, just a noise, as he felt himself engulfed in that hot mouth.

Tseng suckled at him, teeth and tongue coming into play as he gave soft little licks and tiny nips.

"Guess we should shower, huh?"

Rude grunted and nodded, slowly taking off his clothes to get in the shower.

Rufus made some rather interesting noises, his hands finally finding a nice place to rest, fingers combing through Tseng's hair.

Reno climbed in behind him, the warm spray feeling wonderful, melting tension away.

Tseng took him all the way down into his throat, humming around him with a soft smile.

Rufus' hips nearly jumped off the bed as he spilled himself inside his lover's mouth.

Rude instantly set about washing Reno's hair, finding the feel of the water a little too warm for his tastes, but not exactly terrible.

Tseng swallowed without complaint, helping Rufus back under the covers, the doctor would be there soon to declare them fit to go home.

Reno sighed at the familiar feel of the thick fingers, closing his eyes.

Rennan sat next to Elena in the lobby after having played for a while when he saw a woman who looked a lot like his papa being brought into a room, being hooked up to the same sort of equippment his papa had been, he exchanged a look with her. "Auntie 'Lena. .why does she look so much like Papa?"

Elena frowned, squinting to get a better look. She couldn't remember her eyes being that bad before. Maybe it was time to get glasses...? "I'm not sure, honey," she said, standing.

"Should we tell 'im?" The question from the child indicated he knew his grandma existed, but not what she looked like or why she'd be. .well. ..HERE.

Elena shook her head. "Not yet. Let's get a slightly better idea who she is first."

Rennan led her into the room, then spotting one of the doctors asked who the lady was.

"Marion Tarshil. It's sad, really. ..she's been in a long term care facility for a long time, with only one vistor every few years or so. ..her son, skinny redhead, he's always been so wonderful with her, but he hasn't been to see her in almost 6 years. I always wondered why. She had a stroke this morning and got sent here, we're doing everything we cann, but it's not likely she'll ever recover, they're expecting her to pass during the night."

Elena's mind raced while she spot to the doctor. "Don't you think that's a little much to tell a child?" she asked, holding Rennan's hand.

He simply blushed, though his manner said he was as unused to dealing with children as Rude.

"Come on, Rennan," she said, pulling the boy from the room and nearly stalking towards Reno's.

"Yes, Auntie 'Lena." He had a feeling that Elena was about to yell at his papa, though he had no idea why he thought that.  
Reno was dressed and drying his hair just as the door seemed to almost explode off its hinges.

"It would be wise of you to go to room 237, Reno," Elena said, her voice a little louder than it had to be. "Then you have some explaining to do to your son."

Reno as he strode down the hall felt. ..almost like someone had hit him in the gut. .he was glad Rude had chosen to follow him, or he probably would have hit the floor. "Momma. .."

Rude frowned. This woman, this frail looking woman was Reno's mother?  
"When did she get here?" He asked the doctor, one whom he apparantly knew, from the expression of shock on his face. .7 years it had been. ..right before he'd been admitted into the Turks.

Rude put his hands around Reno's shoulders, just trying to show the redhead he was there.

"This morning, "

Reno's body shook. ."I. .I'll be right back. ..I needta talk to Rennasn real quick."

Rude stayed in the room, his eyes asking the doctor to explain.

"She's been in a home for almost 12 years, sir, the one who came in here used to come see her a lot, but several years ago he just stopped coming. 6. ..or no. .it was 7 years ago. She had a stroke upon awakening this morning. they don't expect she'll last the night. We tried to call him when she had her first one last year, but had no contact information to do so."

Reno meanwhile kneeled in front of Rennan. "That was your grandma. .she's been sick a long time, and I've been realluy bad about seeing her. I was going to take you and Papa Rude to meet her during winter vacation."

"Can I see her chart?" Rude asked, knowing that he was probably going to be denied, family or not.

"She doesn't look like a grandma," Rennan pointed out.

"You are what relation to Mrs Tarshil, sir?"

"Mr. Tarshil's husband," Rude said softly.

"No, she doesn't...her hair never turned, and I was young when you were born. ..she was young when I was, too"  
The doctor nodded, handing him the chart that had an mri picture that showed how about all of her higher brain function had been destroyed by this second stroke.

Rude sighed, flipping through the papers quickly. It was... a terrible thing. He couldn't imagine what he would do were it his own mother.

"Can I talk to her?" Rennan asked, holding his arms up for Reno to carry him.

Reno picked him up. "Of course, come on slugger."

"You be good to him, I just have this odd feeling he's not going to take this easily."

"No one ever does," Rude replied to the doctor, hearing Reno and Rennan's footsteps nearing the room.

Reno stepped over to the bed, his eyes were darkened, but he kept up the brave face in front of his son. "Hey momma. ..I wanted you to meet the two most important people in my life. .." He gestures Rude over, and when the bald man is standing next to them he says "Momma, this is Rude. .he's been with me and had my back through about everything life could throw at me. I know, you never expected me to end up with a guy, but hey, I love him so much it hurts when we're not together. And this. .this is your grandson. He's a sharp cookie, just like his papa. .." His voice gets just a little ragged. "I wish I had words for times like this, Momma, but I just don't. ..except. ..if you need ta go. .you do it. ..it won't be easy. ..but I'll understand."

Rennan's voice held a little trepidition. "Hi, Gramma," he said softly.  
Reno slapped his hand across his face. ..wiping away tears for a grief he'd not expected. .he thought he'd grieved this loss a long time ago, he really did, but somehow the finality of it made it all the more fresh. He gripped the tiny, frail, hand, and he whispered one more time. "You don't hafta hang on for me, anymore, momma. ..I'll be ok now. ..I promise." he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, then walked out of the room for a moment, trying to compose himself.

Rude stood, ever vigilant, eyes glancing from Reno, to Rennan, to the woman laying on the bed and back again.

Reno spoke with the doctor a few moments, he knew what had to be done, the doctor informing him that yes, it was the best decision for all involved. ..he held Rude's hand on one side and Rennan's on the other as the doctor disconnected the 46 year old woman from all of the equipment. ..he whispered one last "Go on, it's ok, Momma. ." gave her one last kiss as the frail form on the bed gave one last hitching breath before no more came. ..He simply stood there, with his eyes closed for several long moments, shock had stolen all of his emotion for the moment.

Rude let go of Reno's hand, choosing instead to drape his arm over the redhead's shoulder.

With that touch. ..the floodgates opened...hitching, gasping sobs.. .all of the grief he thought he'd worked through hitting like a punch to the face.

Rude pulled Reno into an embrace, holding the redhead there while he worked through what pain he could. It would take a while, but they would get through it.

Finally they stopped for the moment. .he had things that had to be done, arragments to be made , a plot to be purchased, a headstone. ."shit. ." he muttered. He had no idea how yo do any of this.

Rude's body language said what his lips couldn't: he was there if Reno needed him.

"I. .I need to plan the damn funeral and I have no idea what to do. .." His tone was slightly frantic.

"Shh," Rude said, holding Reno close and petting his hair. "I'll help. Just tell me what you need me to do."

"I need..headstone. .graveplot, I doubt SERIOUSLY Dad made sure she had one. .flowers... minister. .casket. ." He calmed his breathing, getting everything ordered in his mind.

Rude nodded, making a mental to-do list out of what Reno had said. "What first?" he asked.

"The plot, she needs that most really...none of the other stuff will do ay good if we got no place to. .." he broke off, swallowing down another sob that threatened. "Ta bury her."

"I can get it taken care of," Rude said. "What city?"

"I wanna bury her home. ..I know we can't in the city proper, it's off limits. .but outside, between here and the restricted areas. ..I know she'd like that."

Rude nodded, taking out his cell phone and calling information.

Reno looked up to see Rufus and Tseng standing there, Elena behind them, his body was stiff with the effort of not simply giving into the raw, tearing grief.

"It's okay, Reno," Rude said softly, only loud enough for him to hear. "I'm here for you. If nothing else... I'm here." 


	52. Chapter 52

Reno leaned into him with a soft thank you. "I don't know what I'd do without ya. .I really don't."

Rude kept the humourous comment to himself. It wasn't the time or the place for such things. A few more phone calls -- and a few favours called in -- and they had a plot just inside the city limits of Midgar waiting, and a headstone waiting approval as well.

As they took the body out of the room, he turned away. That wasn't his mother there anymore, just a completely empty shell, he gave Rude a soft, shaky smile, seemingly drawing strength from him. "Thanks. .for everything...Elena took Josh into the fish tank yesterday. ..I doubt even SHION could get him out of there." The fish tank was how the clear plexoglass holding tank in Edge's municipal jail was referred to. It was designed for high flight risk criminals, and no one had ever escaped from it.

"I don't believe even Tseng's son would find use in Joshy--" Rude coughed, as it trying to expel the nickname from his lips. "--Josh now."

Reno lofted a brow, as if to ask 'Ok, what was that about?'. ..eyes suddenly growing just the tiniest bit suspicious.

Rude just shook his head. If he didn't absolutely HAVE to tell Reno what had transpired to get Josh there, he wouldn't.

With no answer forthcoming, he dropped it, he simply didn't have the energy to dig right now. ..and he thought maybe, just MAYBE he didn't want to know. He looks up as they coming in with dscharge paperwork, the doctor giving him one of those "looks" as if to ask if t was even any use to sign them.

Rude had picked up Rennan, holding the boy against his hip as he waited for Reno to finish signing. It was time to go home and have some normalcy for once.

Reno finished signing the paperwork. .there would be a funeral in a couple of days. ..the final goodbye to a woman he thought he'd finished mourning long ago.but this. .the finality of it. .hit him again.

Rude's hand moved slowly, but purposefully, as he leaned forward to take Reno's hand in his. He gently pulled the redhead close, whispering, "Let's go home," softly into his hair

"Yeah. .." He turned back, just a moment, and could have sworn he saw a slender silver-toned figure, like a character from an old black and white film, standing framed in the corner of the room as he let a small, sad smile. ..whispering "Goodbye, Momma" as he turned and walked out, hand in hand with his husband.

The drive back to the condo was quiet, only Rennan's occassional chatter about things they drove past breaking the silence.

Even Livewire, usually so boisterous, was silent, almost appearing sullen, echoing his master's mood. Appropriatly enough, it had begun to RAIN on the way back in. .the movers that had been called before they left had already moved their things from the one bedroom into the two, and Reno had even ordered a surprise for Rennan that should already have been delivered and set up, as he had given the landlord permission to let them in.  
Rude had shooed both redheads in, helping Rennan take off his shoes and jacket before sending the kid towards his bedroom, waiting for the cry of excitement at his new bed.

The bedroomm also had a new oak dresser, and a little desk with his oown computer that was even hooked up to their cable modem through the wireless network, even if it did have anything innapropriate for a younger child password protected with algorithms even Reno HIMSELF would have trouble cracking.

Rennan squealed, running out of the room. "Thankyou, thankyou, THANK YOU!"

Rude just smiled, moving towards the kitchen to make something to eat. He was craving chili, slightly, and figured he could make a large pot and pick at it all day and most of the day tomorrow.

Reno came out, walking over to the window. "Smells good." he said as the chili began boiling, but the words had no enthusiasm behind them, as was expected at a time such as this. When it was done he picked at it, pushing it around inside the bowl more than really eating it.  
"Don't play with your food," Rude said, scooping up the last bits of chili in his bowl with a piece of garlic toast.

Reno nodded, eating it finally, though the scold made him almost inwardly cringe. .his mother had always told him "Food is for eating, not playing with" when he was younger.

Rude sighed, putting his bowl in the dishwasher. "Why don't you lay down and take a nap. I'm sure I can watch Rennan for a few hours without too much trouble."

Reno nodded, walking into the room, laying down, Livewire curled around him. .it didn't take long before he was out, with the cat curled up around his back.

"Ya think Papa's ever gonna be really happy again?" Rennan's eyes held sympathy as he looked up at Rude.

Rude poked his head into Rennan's room, where the boy was making 'vroom' noises while sitting on his bed. "Papa Reno's sleeping," he said with a quiet smile. "We need to let him rest, okay?"

Rude sighed. He didn't know the first thing about discussing the 'hard' questions with kids, and truth be told, he just wanted a cigarette.

Rennan nodded and walked over to his desk, getting onto the computer, he smiled as he pulled up one of the card making sites. "I'm gonna make somethin' for him...maybe if I make it nice enough, it'll make him happy again."

A tiny smile touched the corner of Rude's mouth. "I'm sure he'll like that," he said, then turned with an, "I'm going out to the balcony for a few minutes."

"k, Papa Rude." And he began industreously working on a card.

Rude pulled his cigarettes and lighter from his pocket, waiting to spark them outside rather than in. He leaned against the bricks, looking out over the metal railing that kept people from falling off the building. What was he going to do?  
Rennan finished his little card just as Livewire trotted out of the bedroom. He printed it off, decorating it with glitter and marker from the craft box Tifa had given him.

Rude flicked his cigarette butt off the edge of the balcony, sliding back inside the condo with another sigh. He looked down at the cat. "Outside?" he asked it.

Livewre trotted onto the balcony, mewing softly at Rude, watching the rain fall from the awning.

Rude nodded. "Let's take you outside," he said, gesturing for the cuahl to head towards the door while Rude found and put on his shoes. "Rennan," he called softly, poking his head into the boy's room. "I'm taking Livewire out for a minute."

"Allright, Papa Rude, I'm gonna get somea the chili and a drink, k?"

"Get the drink and have a seat at the table. The pot's still too hot for you to be messing with," he said with that tiny smile. See? He could be all domestic and shit.

"k" He got his drink and sat down, just as Reno came out, looking for a cup and putting a fresh pot of coffee on.

Rude was already on his way downstairs, cuahl at his heels. He thought for a moment, then took out his cell phone, calling the condo's landline.

Reno picked up. "Hey. .came out for some coffee."

"What wine goes good with chili?" he asked, and his smile could be heard over the phone line. He HAD promised Reno a good dinner and a bottle of wine earlier.

"Anything red pretty much with beef. .a good merlot or a burgundy."

"Knew I kept you around for a reason," Rude teased. "I'll be back shortly. Just running to the corner. Need anything?

"I'm almost outta smokes, if you could grab me a few packs. ..and some flowers for. ." his voice got hushed. "for me to set on the casket."

Rude grunted in response, a combined 'okay' and 'love you' in that one noise.

"Love ya too, big man." He tried to make himself sound cheery.

Rude's trip to the corner market was, thankfully, uneventful. He smiled at the man behind the counter, bagging his wine bottle with extra care. He opened his phone when he was back on the street, calling for a delivery of a bouquet of flowers to their condo the morning of the funeral. When he walked back up the block, he let Livewire inside with him, the cuahl having done its business and ready to get back into the warm building.

Reno when he came back in was smiling at Rennan, holding up the card that said "Cheer up, Papa, we luv you" in letters done in glitter and glue.

Rude shook his head, seeing just how glitter covered Rennan's hands and face were. "Wash up," he told the boy, "I have a present for you."

Rennan's eyes lit up as he ran into the bathroom to wash his hands and face.

"Got one for you, too," he told Reno, setting the paper bag on the counter.

Reno smiles a little, he looked like he was holding up a little better now that he wasn't so tired.

Rude pulled out a three pack of cigarettes, tossing one pack to Reno and the other two into the freezer. "That's not it," he said, his face holding that tiny mischevious smile. "Want to take a guess?" he asked.

Reno shook his head, but a slightly wide smile lit his face. as he began rifling through the bags.

"It's not the candybar, either," he said, taking out the bottle of wine before the redhead knocked the whole bag over.

Reno dug through the bag some more finding a leather collar, one with metal spikes, and a pair of matching gloves with spikes on the knuckles. "Wow. ..they match yours, thanks yo!"

"They're not combat grade," he said offhandedly, waiting for the youngest of the bunch to return from washing off the glitter. "But I thought they'd look nice on you."

"These'll look good next time we go out.. add to the flirty image you like so much"  
Rennan came out with hands and face clean, he giggled at the gloves and collar.

"And for you, young man," Rude said, pulling out the chocolate bar and handing it to Rennan. Before the boy could tear into it, though, he told him, "Sit at the table and eat it, though"  
Rennan sat down, grinning excitedly as he ate the candy.

"He's gonna be hyper, ya know."

"You should be fine," Rude said, that tiny smile still there. "YOU had a nap."

Reno chuckled softly, then looked out. "You think we're gonna be ok now? I mean Shion's still out there, even if Redhaired and Crazy ain't goin' nowhere."

"I think we'll be okay for now," he replied quietly. "Tseng's son will need to regroup, and that could take a while. As for Joshy--Josh, I think he'll finally be out of our hair."

Very quietly he said "I smelled his cologne on you. .but I'm not gonna ask. ..I doubt very seriously I'm up to the answer to the questions I got in mind ta ask."

Rude just looked down at his feet, the shame of what he'd had to do, and the mere fact that he'd actually ENJOYED it on some level, bothered him.

That expression confirmed what he feared, but surprisingly, he wasn't angry, he was too damn down to be angry, though guaranteed it would come out later. Instead of saying anything, he walked into the kitchen, making himself a cup of coffee, and Rennan a bowl of chili and a glass of juice.

"I'm sorry," he said with a sigh. What else could he say?

"I know.. .just. .too friggin' upset ta be mad. .not ta say you're off the hook, though. ..an' you're gettin' checked ta make sure you're clean before ya touch me again. Ya understand, right?"

Rude nodded, and found it best not to mention that Reno was actually the first person to give him anything contagious. Definitly not the best idea.

Reno knew that well, but he also didn't mention it, just shaking his head. "I'm gonna put Rennan ta bed, he has school in the morning, and I need ta make sure he has everything he needs put aside for him ta take."

Rude nodded again, making a mental note to make an appointment to get tested in the morning.

Reno helped Rennan finish up his homework, then gave him a hug and a kiss before settling him into bed. .before heading in to get ready for bed himself. He had a long day of planning, making the rest of the arrangements for the funeral.

Rude only felt uncomfortable once, at the goodnight hug and kiss from Rennan, before he smiled and sent the boy off to bed.

Reno when they went to bed, didn't curl up against Rude like he usually did, his shoulders were tight, the only sign of the fact that Rude's having sex with Josh upset him. Yes, he'd messed around prior to being exclusive, and yes, there were extenuating circumstances, he was sure, but it didn't mean it hadn't hurt.

Rude lay on his back, a sigh threatening to escape his lips. After a few minutes, he finally said, "I didn't sleep with him."

"You think it helps that it didn't go that far?" came the muffled answer." "The fact that you let him touch you that way at ALL. .." So, maybe he WAS a shade insecure.

"He had a gun to my head. It was the only way I could think of to get out alive," Rude replied evenly.

"Yeah...m'sorry. ..'sjust gonna take time. ..didn't need this on toppa everything else I got on m'plate."

"He doesn't give head anywhere near as good as you do," Rude offered, keeping the fact that he thought Josh the better kisser to himself.

He just sighed softly, that slight twitch indicating he'd dropped off.

Rude sighed as well, knowing that he wasn't going to be sleeping well at all that night.

Reno awakened at around 4, irrevocably wide awake. He got up, hopping onto the computer to order his mother's casket.

Rude was awake, still, but kept his eyes closed. Best not to bother the redhead with guilt over Rude's not being able to sleep.

Reno found the one he wanted, ordering it before heading out into the kitchen, making some coffee, then heading over to the piano, playing softly, his eyes closing. .. he idly noticed he'd wet the keyboard of the instrument as he began playing the concerto he'd written, again totallly random choice, his fingers had begun picking out the notes a good several minutes before he realized what he'd been playing.

Rude finally let the sigh he'd been holding in out. He knew the thing with Josh would cause a rift, but that much of a rift? It was life and death, in Rude's eyes, and the fact that he'd enjoyed it felt like a moot point. He knew Reno would have, so why was he being punished? Other than the fact that he and Joshy had history.

Finally he came back in, he felt horridly guilty that he was as upset as he was. ..a lot of it was of course that it was THAT on top of everything else hhe was dealing with. He probably wouldn't have taken it quite so hard if he hadn't already been grieving.

Rude rolled onto his side, facing away from Reno's side of the bed. He kept his eyes closed, hoping that he might catch an hour's worth of sleep before the alarm went off at 7.

Reno set his arm over Rude as a peace offering, not sleeping, just laying there, holding him.

The sigh finally escaped Rude, his body visably relaxing in the dim light.

"You sleep, I'll take Rennan ta school and deal with everything else today. .m'sorry I got so upset. ..just. ..wasn't ready for that on toppa everything else."

"I'm sorry, too," Rude replied, his voice gruff from not being used for the past few hours.

"I know..Just gotta transfer the bastard from the jail to the courthouse today, anyway. ..Boss wants at least one of us with the police and baliffs when they transfer 'im."

"And not me," Rude's tone was almost rueful. He knew he'd crossed a lot of boundaries with the whole Josh ordeal, and he knew he was going to be taking heat for it for a long time. But that didn't change the fact that he felt responsible for Josh's current state.

"They know you'd take it personal."

"I know," Rude said, but that didn't make him feel any better about it.

"A little concerned that I would too, but the boss is sendin' Elena with me to make sure that don't happen. In the meantime, I gotta get showered an' get Renna ready for school."

Rude nodded, rolling over to try and get comfortable to get some sleep.

Once he'd dropped off Rennan at school he was at the jail, 9 am sharp. ..he waved at Elena,"So, how much longer 'til they bring him out?"

"They need to finish processing him," she said, popping her bubble gum.

"Figured as much, I'm actually early, fora change." He looked up as two cops came out, with a wildly struggling form between them.

"He's not sedated?" Elena asked quietly, finding it quite odd that the volitile man wasn't.

"They said it would prbably be dangerous for him if we sedated him." One of them said, "So we're doin' the best we can."

Reno shivered as those cold green eyes, the same mint green as his own, pinned his.

Josh's eyes met Reno's and his struggling ceased. He just glared Reno in the eye, a tiny smile touching the corner of his mouth. "He still loves me."

"Come on, Aasshole, I have a bottle of wine waiting for me as well as having to pick up our son before heading home. Yeah, you heard me right OUR son, he considers Rennan as much his as he does mine. Stick that in your fucking crack pipe and smoke it." With that he fell into step next to him his stance said he'd kill him with no regrets if the bastard tried anything.

Josh's odd smile stayed at the corner of his mouth. "He tasted wonderful, better than before..." His tone had a dreamy quality to it, as if the man really were high on crack.

"Yeah, fuckin'; yeah, an' you better hope you were fuckin' clean, 'cause if he gave me somethin' when he was savin' my life from your idiocy I'm gonna take it outta your hide.

"He called my name, not yours, when he came." Josh's eyes held a slight challenge, as if daring Reno to get out of hand.

"Yeah, but he came home to me and our kid, so fuck you." He lhelped them load him into the car, sitting in the front next to the officer so he couldn't hear his taunts.

"Just imagine how wonderful it will be when he calls my name out when he's with you," Josh continued.

Reno ignored him, he was NOT going to let the bastard get to him.

Josh tried another tactic. "He calls me Joshy around you, doesn't he?"

Reno flinched, but only the tiniest bit, then shut the glass between himself and Josh, only saying "You are a dick" before doing so.

Knowing the glass was soundproof, Josh just mouthed the words, "He still loves me, and you know it."

Reno turned his back on Josh, he had enough to deal with with planning for his mother's funeral without dealing with taunts from a nutcase.

And Josh really was rather off his rocker. His thoughts turned back to Rudy, which made his pants feel tighter by the minute. Since he was a rather unashamed man, with little to no sense of decency, he unzipped those pants to stroke himself in the back of the car.

Reno turned around and mouthed "Fuck yo, put that back in your pants, yer makin' me SICK."

Josh just smiled, mouthing Rudy's name as his hand moved.

And Reno had to swallow back a lump, finally he could hold it back no longer and he opened the window at a stoplight, losing his breakfast on the street.

Josh only cackled, his laughter breaking into moans of the bald man's name as he spilled himself.

Reno only looked over at Elena, his face sheet white with a slight green tinge from still feeling faintly nasueous from the disgusting display.

"He's just trying to get a rise out of you," Elena said, her own face a little pale. "Ignore him and eventually he'll give up."

"We're almost there, thank Shiva." the words were spoken just as they pulled up to the courthouse. "With any luck they'll find him unfit to stand tril, put his ass away and I'll never have to deal with him again."

"We can only hope so," Elena said. She looked back at Joshua Miller and her jaw dropped. Somehow, the little shit had put himself away and looked as clean and respectable as ever.

Reno opened the door and pulled him out of the car, leading him into the courthouse by his shackles.

Josh's face was calm and serene, expression easy... except for when Reno looked at him. When the other redhead looked at him, he smiled slightly, licking his lips as if rubbing it in that he'd tasted Rudy.

Reno simply snorted. He wouldn't have put it past Josh to have found a way to slip a poison to his mother that would have caused her stroke, but nah, he was grasping at shadows there, and he knew it.

"He's going to miss me," Josh said softly, almost as if he were expecting sympathy from Reno.

"I got ta plan my momma's funeral I don't have time for your shit today, so come on, let's move it, judge is expecting you in ten minutes."

"My sympathies," Josh said, and it was the first human thing he'd ever said to Reno.

Reno looked a little shocked, shocked enough to say "thanks" before taking him into the holding room where he would stay until the bailiff came to get him.

Josh sat down, his moment of humanity having passed. "Rudy will visit me," he said, his tone knowing.

"not if I ask him not to." And he walks over to the water fountain. "Besides, you can't have aany visitors but family where I have a feeling you'll end up."

"Rudy IS family," Josh replied with that tiny smile

"Not unless you're married to him, no such luck." the baliff came in at thatt moment.

Josh just shook his head and mouthed three lettres. "P. O. A.  
Reno just ignored him, doubting seriously Rude would endanger their marriage by dealing with that.  
"Speaking of Rude," Elena said when Reno joined her in the hallway. "Where is the big guy?"

"I let him sleep. ..he didn't sleep well last night at all."

"Think what he said is true?" she asked, nodded towards Josh.

Reno sighed. .telling her all he knew or had gathered of what had occured between he and Josh while he'd been at the hospital.

"Eww. Rude let him touch him?" Elena asked, her face saying more than her words could.

"You think I don't feel the same, Laney?" He looked as if he could just collapse on the spot, it was almost the straw that broke the camel's back, dealing with it all.

Elena just frowned. There was definitly something wrong with Josh Miller, and she had suspicions about Rude's indulgences. "You're sure he didn't sleep with him?" she asked.

"He said he didn't. ..but I susppect Josh at least had oral sex with him. ..I smelled Josh's cologne on his crotch, Laney. .." He finally did ssink into the wall, his arms coming around his knees.

"Do... do you think he really wanted to?" she asked carefully.

"I think he was stuck in a position where he had to distract Josh, and it was the only thing he knew to do it. . .but the way he looked when I confronted him about the cologne. ..spoke volumes. .. he enjoyed it, at least some."

"And that's what's bothering you?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. "That he might have enjoyed it?"

"That, is it in a nutshell. ..I mean, I know I did sleep with a couple of my old gang buddies when we first got together, but we weren't even exclusive, much less MARRIED.

"And you're worried that he'll make a pattern of it, until you finally kick him to the curb?"

"I don't know anymore. ..shit, I don''t even want to THINK that, Laney. .." He sighed, looking up at her with tired looking eyes. "I can't even deal with it right now. ..I got so much on my plate as it is. ..I don't have enough room on it for this!"

Time for a change of tactics. "What do you think the big guy saw in him, anyway?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"Got no idea, really, except he's always been attracted to redheads. ..ever since Celia most of his GIRLFRIENDS were redheads, too."

"That doesn't explain why he put up with the psycho shit, though," she said softly.

"No, unless he was so deep in it he was afraid to try to get out by then."

"I don't think Josh was the aggressor in that relationship," Elena admitted.

Reno just put his hands to his temples, his head so full, he couldn't figure it all out. "I just don't have the answers. ..I wish I did."

"Maybe you need to ask the right questions of Mr. Rude," she offered. She couldn't help him with dealing with his mother's death, but she could help him with THIS.

"I needta get home, but I need ta see this through first."

"Go," she said with a smile. "I can handle this."

Reno nodded, out the door and heading back home.

Rude had just woken up, finally getting a few hours sleep. He yawned as he climbed into the shower, setting the water a little cooler than it usually was when he shared the shower with Reno. He, unlike his redheaded partner, prefered not to boil himself.

Reno strode into the house, he had 90 minutes until he had to pick up Rennan, and he had every intention of asking needed questions. ..when Rude came out of the bathroom he asked him to sit down at the kitchen table and pour them both drinks.

Rude frowned, but did as he was asked, some of the missed water droplets drying quickly on his skin. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Reno when he looked up at him gulped, his eyes saying he didn't want to talk about it, but he would. He told Rude everything Josh had told him during the transfer. .."Did you enjoy it?" his voice is soft. ."Would you really go to see him if he gets comitted?"

Rude sighed, dropping his eyes to the table before his forehead followed suit. After a moment of harsh breathing, he looked back up at Reno. "I did," he said softly. "And... I don't know."

"What did you see in him. ." the sound of his hitching breaths told how close he was coming to going into hysterics, not a good thing when he had to pick up their son soon.

"He... he used to be a lot like you," Rude said carefully, his eyes glancing away as if to say he really didn't want to talk about it. "He seemed to always know what I was thinking, knew just how to get me to feel better."

Reno didn't snap. ..just looked away. "And you're afraid. ..one day I'm going to snap like he did. .."

"No, NO," Rude said, standing up from the table. "That's not it at all."

"Then tell me. ..tell me dammit. ..because I just. .." he whispered brokenly. "I don't know where I stand right now, and it's fucking with my head..I want to tell you to never go see him, but would that even be right? would it be fair? Why didn't you tell me you had power of attorney for him?"

Rude's usual response of 'you didn't ask' wasn't going to be appropriate, so he took a few more moments to formulate the best way to explain his answer. "There's a part of me... that's just so angry... and sometimes, when you do things that make me mad, I have to bury it more than usual. But with Joshy... he took it. All with that goddamn smile on his face. And that night... when I did that to him... I didn't mean to go that far. I practically fucking killed him, Reno. And for some reason, he forgave me, asked me to come back to his bed, but I couldn't. I just couldn't look at myself after that. So I ran. I ran from Costa del Sol to Midgar."

"There are other ways of dealing with it, you know. ..healthier ways. ..but you've got yourself so convinced nothing's wrong that you've never dealt with the beast inside. ..I dealt with it, too, you know. ..only I turned my anger at the world and my own destructive impulses inward. ..onto myself because I swore I'd never turn into Dad and hurt someone else with it. .." He looked down at the scars on his arms.

"But that part of me... respects Josh, because he took it and still wanted me back," Rude said, then paused. "I didn't ask for Power of Attorney, but he insisted. After what I'd done to him... I couldn't say no, even after I'd joined the Turks. I owed him at least that."

"Even if you hurt me. .." his tone told it sickened him to know this. "I probably would too. ..even though I swore I would never tolerate it from anyone."

"It's not right, Reno," Rude's words were coming harsher, his voice nearly breaking as he continued to speak. "No one deserves that. No one. Not even Joshy. And certainly not you."

"Then it has to be dealt with. ..it has to be. ..or it's gonna happen again. ..neither of us deserve that. .You need to find healthier outlets for it. ..I need to find healthier outlets. ..I'm just as guilty as you. ..and I'm not gonna deny it."

"He always came back. He pushed my buttons, made me mad, MADE me hit him, then he came back, eating up my apologies like candy." Rude's voice was plainly breaking as he spoke, his breath coming in gasps. "It was so easy, back then. I would come home from work, bump a little of whatever Joshy'd gotten that day, we'd fuck until we passed out, get up, eat, fuck again until we passed out, then I'd get up the next day and start all over again. It was easy, Reno. Easy and..." Rude didn't want to say 'comfortable.'

"An' me.. what am I?" his own voice broke.. .his eyes swimming, but he wouldn't let them fall."

"You're my partner, mi corazon, you make me feel things that are both wonderful and terrifying at the same time," Rude's words were coming quicker, as if he could just spit them all out at once and be done with speaking. "But there's all this responsibility, responsibility that I never in a million years dreamed I would have, and it scares me. I'm going to be 29 fucking years old in--" he paused, glancing at the calander, "--four fucking days. That means I have exactly one year to do all those things I meant to do before I turned 30, before I got OLD," Rude spat the word out like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Don't you understand? I have to grow up, I have to act like an adult, and it SCARES the living FUCK out of me."

"You think it doesn't scare me sometimes? I'm gonna be 24 just 2 months after you turn 29. ..an' sometimes I wonder if I'm gonna be the man you need so bad. ..I don't want you to .." he gulps back a lump of emotion in his throat. "outgrow me. .if I lost you I don't know what the fuck I'd do, aibou. ..you're the other fuckin' halfa me.. ."

"And Joshy... he's the easy way back to being like I used to be -- a kid with no worries, no responsibilities... but that's not what I want." Rude took a deep breath. "Do you understand?"

Reno nodded. ..then got up...putting his arms around Rude and when he did, the tears did fall. "Shit. .please...don't go see him. ..I'm not telling you not to do it. ..I'm asking you not to. ..I can't lose you.. .I just can't."

"You won't," Rude said softly. "But... I have to see him. I HAVE to. I owe it to him." Rude paused, taking a deep breath. "But I'm not leaving you for him. Not now, not ever. We had our time, and it's over. Now I'm with you."

Reno nodded again then said "Can you at least. ..stay away from him until after all this shit with Mom is dealt with?"

"If he's committed, I'll have to be there to sign the paperwork for him, and do a monthly visit," Rude said carefully. "But if he's not, the POA's null and void... but I DO need to see him once more, if only to get some closure. I never really had that..."

Reno closed his eyes. ."I got one more question. ..it's been bugging me ever since I met Josh. ..did you. ..end up attracted to me because we look alike?"

Rude took one deep breath, then another. "Maybe... a little... at first..." he said slowly, carefully. "But not so much later on, and certainly not for more than a moment did he cross my mind THAT night"  
Reno leaned into him now. then picked up the phone as it rang. "must be Laney callin' with the results from the hearing." He took a deep breath. "Yo."

"You sound like shit," Elena said, and her frown could be heard over the line.

"We had the talk, Laney. ..how'd it go?"

"He's headed for a padded cell until they can get a psych evaluation," she said. "Judge doesn't think he's competent to stand, and I think he's right. Guy's a total nutjob."

"Figured as much. ..shit. ..almost hoped he wouldn't be...Rude's required to go see him once a month while he's in. .."

"Sucks to be him," Elena said. "But, they'll call when Rude's supposed to show up to hear the results. Probably tomorrow or something."

"Yeah..I gotta go pick up Rennan. ..probably shouldn't be driving, but it's gotta be done. ..I'll talk to you 'bout how it went on the way."

Rude nodded as Reno hung up with Elena. "I can drive," he offered with a timid, almost shy smile.

"Thanks. ..I love you. ..so much.. .just. ..you know he was jacking himself off in the back of the cop car? Made me fuckin' hurl."

Rude frowned. "Josh did that?" He grabbed his keys from the kitchen table, gesturing Reno to follow.

Reno strode after him. "Yeah, yelling your name the entire time. . .sick fucker"  
If Rude wasn't irritated, he would be appalled, and if he wasn't appalled, he would be a sick shade of honoured. But he wouldn't tell Reno that. He closed the car door, starting it up and waiting for Reno.

Reno stepped in. ..sitting down, his face four different shades of white and two of green at least thinking about it.  
The drive was quiet, the school a little distance away. "I'm sorry you had to deal with this now," he offered, his voice almost timid.  
"Shit happens. ..yeah, woulda been better if it had waited 'til Mom was in the ground, but things are never convienantly timed for us, are they"  
There was that tiny, shy smile. "No, they're not."

When they reached the school, Rennan ran out. ..climbing into the backseat chattering excitedly. "We went on a field trip to the courthouse today!" Yes, Reno had signed the form but he'd forgotten completely that it was today.

Rude tried to hold it in, but the "Jesus Christ," slipped out. Bad Rude. Bad. No biscuit.

"There was this guy. ..he was talkin' about you. ..sayin' you were this bad person, but I didn't believe him." Rennan looked over at Rude with all of the faith in the world.

Reno had to smile slightly at his son's enthusiasm.

Rude was still mentally chastising himself for swearing in front of Rennan. What kind of an example was he setting.

Reno knew he'd said far WORSE in front of his son. .

Which was part of the reason it bothered Rude so much. One of them had to be the 'good' parent. "What else did you do today?" Rude asked, finding it safer to steer the conversation away from the courthouse.

"We did addition, and a reading circle. .." When they reached the house, Rennan went outside to play with Livewire, and Reno sank into Rude. ..just literally collapsing into him.. .it had been an exhausting morning, and he needed a few moments to regather his senses.

Rude would never admit to almost dropping Reno when the redhead slumped against him. He had an image to keep, after all. He just held his partner, waiting for him to be as close to himself as he could again.

After a few moments, he stood back up. ..smiling a little."We'll get through it, right?"

"We always do.

With that he gave him a quick kiss, starting on dinner. ..quesadillas just how Rude liked them.. .taking out the bottle of wine, chilling it on ice. "Tifa'll be picking up Rennan in an hour.we'll have the rest of the day to ourselves. Figured we could use it." .. 


	53. Chapter 53

Rude didn't mention how he was feeling like they were always pushing Rennan off on Tifa. There had to be a way to keep the kid around and still be... well, them. But it didn't matter. What mattered was taking things one day at a time, doing what had to be done, and counting down the days until he was 29.

"Ya know, 30's not some horribly bad thing, ya know. .Tseng's. .well, he's 35, you think he's freakin' about it? Nothin' says ya can't still have fun, and there are benefits to having responsibility. It also means ya got stability." He offered up a smile that would gentle the sting of the words.

"That's Tseng," Rude mumbled, NOT wanting to talk about it.

"Yeah, well, it's the same damn difference. ..no need ta flip about it. I mean. .what haven't ya done, really? Hell, what haven't I done? I'm ready for some sort of stable life, especially after this year's insanity."

A grunt and a look from Rude clearly stated that he was NOT discussing it further. There were some things he'd suck it up and talk to Reno about, but there were some things he felt he had to deal with himself. And one of those things was getting old.

Reno just shrugged, his own look saying in his eyes Rude was nowhere NEAR old, the big 3-0 was nothing to be afraid of really, it's just another number in your life. Now 50, there was something to be scared of.

Rude was done discussing it, so he turned his back, taking his cigarettes out and walking towards the balcony.

Reno just sighed, sitting at the kitchen table with the bottle of wine sitting in front of him. He didn't get why it was such a big deal, really. ..Rude would still be Rude, no matter how old he was, and that was just fine by him.  
Rude just buried his insecurities about his age, each puff of his cigarette making him ignore the problem more and more. When he was done with the cigarette, he wasn't so much worried about it. Besides, worrying wasn't the Costan way.

A knock came at the front door then, and Reno got up, opening it, waving at the dark haired woman there. in truth he looked like stomped shit, but he didn't realize that, dark circles under red-rimmed eyes set in a face even paler than usual, making the tattooed scars on his cheekbones stand out.

"Where's Rude?" Tifa asked, smiling at Reno while she pushed a stray spike out of the man's eyes.

"balcony, havin' a smoke."

"At least you two are doing that," she said with a smile. "So where's my little bus boy?"

"On the computer in his room, I ordered all new stuff for him, it arrived yesterday."

"You'll rot his brain," she teased, making her way towards the boy's room as if she'd been living with them all her life. Such was Tifa's ability to be comfortable wherever she went.

Rennan looked up from where he'd been on Noggin playing a learing activity game and smiled. "Tifa"  
"There's my favourite little redhead!" she smiled, stepping over to give him a hug.

"I get ta go see Denzel and Em and Marlene again?" He sounded SO excited.

"Yes, sir," she replied. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me grab my coat 'sgettin' cold, and Papa said he'd feel awful if I got sick"  
Tifa raised an eyebrow at Reno, then smiled and shooed the child towards his things. "Is he staying the night?" she asked with a tiny wink.

"yeah. ..I. ..I need ta get some things straight. ." He explained to Tifa what happened while Rennan was getting his coat. "I asked him the right questions, like Laney said I should. ..but he's got this freaked out phobia about turning thirty, but ta me. ..it's just another number, ya know? He's still RUDE, no matter how old he is."

"Grab a change of clothes, Rennan," she called to the little boy. "You're staying with Auntie Tifa tonight." She looked back at Reno, dropping her voice. "There are some things you can't help him with, Reno. Thirty is scary. Fourty is scarier, but thirty's still scary."

"Nah, FIFTY'S scary. .. fifty's scary knowin' you've exhausted half your life. Average life expectancy for a Gaian male is 100. .. so yeah, that's scary. ..30, shit, you got your best years aheada ya yet." OK, so maybe Reno had a different definition of old.

Rennan stepped out of the bedroom with his overnight bag, smiling, giving his papa a hug and a kiss. "I wanna say goodbye ta Papa Rude, too."

"We all gotta deal with being old sometime," she said with a smile, as if she had already come to terms with the idea of getting older... which she had.

Rude walked back inside, another cigarette gone, and smiled at Tifa. "Thanks for taking him," he said quietly.

As they strode out he sighed. "First things first, I guess. ..the doc. ." He winced at the reiminder of what had happened, he wasn't MAD, but it did hurt.

Rude nodded, putting on his jacket and shoes. "Guy's new office is right across the street," he said, just making conversation.

"Yeah. .." he grabbed his own coat, sliding it over thin shoulders. He wondered idly if he was going to end up starving himself to death before they had some sort of normalcy

And that was all the words Rude could say without feeling he would agitate the redhead more. So, without another word, he set off towards the doctor's office.

Reno walked next to him, grabbing his hand almost out of habit. For some reason, despite recent events, it felt right.

A tiny smile touched the corner of Rude's mouth as he held Reno's rather cold hand. "You need gloves," he said softly as he held the door to the office open for Reno.

"Yeah. .I know." He strode in, hoping everything turned out clear, it would suck hardcore if Josh had given Rude something that had ended up hitting him on top of everything else.

Rude was brought in instantly, leaving Reno in the waiting room while he was poked and prodded at.

"While he waited he read the old Costan Beat monthly they had on the table. "Board shorts, print or solid, what's this year's style?" he snorted.

By the time Reno had finished that and another magazine, Rude walked out, a tiny frown on his face and a little limp. "I'm clean," he said through clenched teeth, indicating that he wanted to get out of there NOW.

"Good, let's MOVE." he wanted to as well.

As soon as the door shut behind them, leaving them to the relative safety of the streets, Rude ground out, "Man doesn't know the meaning of lube."

Reno chuckled softly. "This is why you don't get married to a doc."

Rude just frowned and pouted as they made their way back to the condo.

Reno as soon as they got inside leaned him against the wall, kissing him, lips desperate, hungry. ..seemingly reclaiming what was his.

Rude pulled away just long enough to say, "Eager?" before reclaiming Reno's lips.

"You're mine" he says between desperate kisses. "Mine. ..not his. .. ."

It took Rude's brain a minute to figure out who Reno could be talking about, and once he did... he pulled away. "I'm sorry. I... I don't deserve this."

"I'm reclaiming you, dammit. .I need to. ." his eyes misted, but didn't fill all the way.

"You have every right to be angry with me, but instead, you're throwing yourself at me. Why?" It made no sense to Rude. He felt he should be on the bad end of a screaming at.

Reno stepped back. .thinking about that for a moment. ..all he could come up with was that he was marking territory, and he told Rude as much.

That made Rude frown. "I'm not territory that needs to be marked."

"It's more than that. ." he gestured with his hands, sometimes even HE was at a loss for words with a concept he understood so clearly.

Rude's frown clearly told Reno he needed to explain, and quickly.

"I want it to be ME you scream for. ..I need to hear that. ..I want it to be ME in every part of yoour mind and heart. .to eleminate every trace of what hold he once had. .."

"If you want to mark territory, just piss on me and get it over with," Rude said softly. "But know this: I can't ever 'eliminate' Josh from me. He's as much a part of me as the President is of you."

Reno sighed "But I didn't do that without you here when I wasn't under the influence of foreign substances. ." OK, so maybe he was pretty guilty, too. . .but at least he hadn't been clear headed when he had... his voice grew in volume. "I know you did it to get out of a rough situation, but he said you called HIS name! Do you know how damn much that HURT?"

"According to you, the circumstances of the sitation doesn't matter. So you were drugged, and I had a fucking gun to my head. What's the fucking difference?" Rude's tone became louder with each word. "And what if I did call his name? I wasn't thinking straight, Reno; it's kinda hard to do that with a fucking GUN to your fucking head. All I was thinking about was getting the fuck out of there alive."

Finally he calmed down. "So I have the right to be mad. .so did you.." he said softly. "Doesn't change the fact that you were there, fully aware or at least as aware as we COULD be about what happened. .. and I wasn't. ." Of course he knew under the circumstances he couldn't have been, which is why he looked away and then down.

"I just don't like how you feel you have to 'reclaim' me like I'm some kind of animal gone astray.

He shook his head. "It bothers me some, too. ..but I hate the thought of another man's hands on you. ..as much as you hate it."

Rude just tilted his head back and sighed. "So... now what?" he asked.

The kiss this time was gentler...mouth opening he simply WANTED him.

Rude was hesitant, but kissed Reno back just as gently.

The tears that tracked downn his face were completely silent, no choking or hitching breath at all, no sobs. . .just silent, cleansing away the fear. ..the anger and the uncertainity. "I love you. .so much. .. please. ..don't do that again unless you absolutely MUST. .. you know how Rufus scares you sometimes? Well Josh scares me that way. .." the he reclaimed Rude's mouth, tounge questing with less desperation but no less hunger.

Rude just grunted, his tongue caressing Reno's as his hands moved to pull the redhead closer.

Reno led him toward the bed without ever breaking the kiss, dropping garments to the floor as he went. ..he'd pick them all up later and put the dry cleaning aside to take and the normal laundry in the hampers. When they reached the bed he laid down, a few trails of salt still on his face, but he didn't seem to realize that, stretching himself out fully nude. ..he whispered. . ."make love to me...I want to feel you. ..I want you to feel me. ..please."

Rude slowly undressed, his eyes not leaving Reno's. He stood naked at the foot of the bed, just looking at the redhead Reno's eyes seemed to beg. . .his arms reaching out. .his expression said he was completely serious.

Rude took a deep breath, as if doing so helped make his decision. He was still a little upset with Reno calling him the equivalent of property -- something he conveniently forgot that he used to do himself -- but he slowly crawled onto the bed.

Reno took him into his arms, pressing the bigger body against his own, letting the heat seep into him, whispering endearments into the dark skin, pressing hands and lips to that body he knew and loved so well.

A tiny sigh escaped Rude's lips. "Why do you put up with me?" he asked softly, his lips tracing Reno's collarbone.

"'Cause I love you. .."

"That all?" he asked against the redhead's skin.

Reno shuddered at those full lips against him. "An' that's not enough? Though those three words encompass so much for me. . .You're my heart, my soul, half of my being. ..how could I NOT put up with you?"

Rude shrugged goodnaturedly. "My feet smell after I work out?" he asked.

"An' I get loud and mouthy and bitchy when I'm drunk or tired." He chuckled, the chuckle becoming a soft moan as that mouth grazed from his collarbone down to a pink nipple.

Rude smiled against Reno's skin, the continued kissing his way down past belly button to the hardness jutting from between the redhead's thighs.

Reno lost the power of speech totally then, his head tilting back as his fingers scrabbled for ANYTHING to hold onto. ..even the thick satin sheets under his fingers were not enough to anchor him to reality, not that it mattered. ..if THIS was a break from reality it was more than welcome. "ngn. .." the sound was soft, reedy with pleasure.

"Don't think I heard that," Rude muttered before going back to kissing up, down and all around Reno's arousal, not quite taking it into his mouth just yet.

That slender back arched up. ..flush spreading across that pale skin. ..mouth opening, a hitching gasp and a soft moan echoing froom it. "Rude. ..Gods, you feel. ..so fucking good." His body gave an all over shiver at the sensation.

"And I haven't even gotten to the good part," he said softly, his breath moving the dark red hairs under his nose.

Another hitching gasp, the hips rising up yet higher, the slow torture a feeling he needed desperatly at the moment. ..he planned on enojying every bit of it.

"Something you want?" he teased, letting his tongue flick out for just a moment here and there.

"M-more. ..more of you. .."

Rude waited, not stilling his movements, but not doing anything more. "You have to tell me what you want," he gently demanded. "Don't make me assume..."

"Take me. ..suck me. ..there.. " His cheeks pinkened a bit more.

Rude had the wherewithall to take Reno into his mouth before moaning deeply. Reno, usually so vulgar everywhere else, was nearly virginal in his words while they were in the act. To hear him speak those words was just... incredibly sexy.

Reno let out a gasping cry, Rude's name on the tail end of it. .. . then began almost PURRING with the intensity of what was running through his nerves now.

One of Rude's hands wrapped around the base of Reno, his mouth taking the rest of it in with a hard -- but not too hard -- suction.

"I want. ..want you inside me. ..want to feel you sliding against that spot that makes me shake. ..makes me scream for you. .." The words came out a soft moan. .."Then. ..I want to hold you. ..to feel you against me. .to know. ..that you're mine."

Rude groaned, Reno leaving his lips with an audible pop. "Not dry," he said, nodding towards the nightstand.

Reno reached over, grabbing the tube, his head was still spinning, nerves firing with sensation. ..he handed it to Rude. ..hhis hand trembling a little as he did.

Rude shook his head. "You do it. Let me watch."

Reno nodded, biting his lip as he squeezed enough out to do what needed to be. . .sliding one finger in first. ..touching that spot, inside his face flushed even more and atrembling moan came from him. ..then two. .. those half-lidded, eyes never leaving his lover's. . .a soft, sexy smile spreading on his face as he buried a second one in. ..spreading himself, head arching back again as he let out another moan of utter abandon. . .as he moved his fingers out of the way, his breathing still a bit heavy, he lifted himself to indicate he was ready.

Rude licked his lips, finding them and his mouth rather dry. He nodded once, moving forward to hold himself over Reno's body. He gently lifted the redhead's knees, then took one hand to gently brush that opening just one more time for good measure.

He shivered at the touch. .letting Rude's name fall from his lips. ..his name like a pulsing presence in mind and heart as well as body. He'd wanted no other for a VERY long time.

Rude was careful in positioning himself, not wanting to get caught up in the moment and hurt either himself, Reno, or both of them. With a nod -- whether it was for himself or for Reno he wasn't sure -- he pushed inside.

Reno's cry this time was muted, more of a moaning sob than a true cry. .."Mine. .." he whispered. .."Call my name. .." with each movement the level of intensity rose yet more and he could do little more than breathe.

It took more than a few breaths for the words to be processed in Rude's brain, but as he began thrusting, slowly at first, but quickly moving faster as the sensations erupted over his nerves, Reno's name seemed to burst from his lips.

Reno let out a cry of Rude's name as the bliss filled him, body and soul. ..turning him into a creature of sheer pleasure, of lust and emotion and feeling. his limbs began twitching with all that he felt.

Rude snapped his hips forward with each thrust, his mouth open but no sound other than ragged breathing coming from his lips.

Reno arched into each thrust, his entire body shivering. ... his mouth open wide, his own breathing ragged panting. . .then the dragon awoke in the pit of his stomach, the serpant uncoiling. ..spreading liquid sensation through his body as his cock began to twitch and soft droplets of precum dripped from it. It would take barely more than a single touch and that would be that for him.

A touch that Rude chose not to give. He'd always wondered how much Reno could take, and whether or not he could get off without the obligatory reach around.  
He titled his head back, he was so very close. ..so close he could feel it. ..his nerves tingle as his prostate is brushed again, the pulse pounding in the hollow of his throat, pounding so hard he can hear it in his head as well as his ears. ."f-fuck. .so. . .so f-fucking close. ..shit, m'body's on fire."

"You can come for me," Rude said with a tiny smile, still denying that reach around.

And he did, with a soft sob of Rude's name, his back lifting high off the bed, driving himself hard onto Rude as another brush inside sent a boiling aftershock through his nerves. ..his hair stuck to his face by sweat, his eyes hooded and darkened in bliss, he settled back down as he came down, chest heaving to catch his breath, body still trembling as he clenched around his lover in pulses like crashing ocean waves, a smile lighting his face as he reached up a trembling hand. "I want to hear you too. ..come for me. ..fill me with your very essence."

Rude could not deny him. He sucked in his breath, hips snapping forward into that clenching heat. After a moment, he exhaled harshly, his fingers tightening in the sheets as his chin dropped to his chest and he just breathed, sated.

Reno draped himself over Rude's chest, just trying to catch his breath, when he hears the beeping of a timer. "Ah, shit, the quesadillas!"

Rude's eyes were wide as he watched the redhead scramble, getting tangled in the sheets as he tried to take them with him, only without asking Rude to get off first. A hearty chuckle fell from his lips, a laugh of the caliber he hadn't felt in a long time.

Finally he manged to get completly untangled, running in just in time to save tem from being burnt. ..they were a bit crispy, but still, in his opinion, good.

Rude exited the bedroom at a more leisurely pace, having used a wet washcloth from the attached bathroom to clean himself. He paused at the entrance to the kitchen, stretching and feeling more comfortable than usual in his nudity.

"I saved 'em. ..man, can't believe I forgot about 'em.." Reno suddenly let loose with an easy, rolling laugh of his own. ..then stopped. ..suddenly realizing how long it had been since he'd laughed in true amusement.

"Guess I'm distracting," Rude said with a tiny, almost mischevious smile as he made his way to the fridge for a beer.

"You are, but you're a good distraction, yo."

Rude passed a beer to Reno with that tiny smile. "Could think of worse things," he said before taking another drink.

"Oh definatly. ..like that bastard kidda Tseng's. ..speaking of. ..I wonder where he's gone off to?"

"Lick his wounds, probably," Rude mumbled, face clearly showing that he did not want to ruin the good mood with talk of Shion.

"Yeah, prob'ly right. ..fucking asshole."

Rude pointed to the food with his half empty beer bottle. "They edible?"

"Yeah, lil' crunchy, but they're still good."

Rude poked his head back in the fridge. "Salsa? Sour cream?" he asked, knowing Reno would want both anyway.

"Yeah, 'course. .wine's cold. ..now, where'd I put those friggin' candles?"

Rude let out a low whistle. "Candles? Getting fancy..."

"I wanna be nice tonight, yo. ..we deserve it."

"Breaking out the good china?" he asked, knowing full well that they did not have anything even close to resembling good china.

"As in eatin' off the glassware insteada outta the carton? yep."

Rude just shook his head and smiled, taking down the only two wineglasses they owned.

"Eh, you forgot about the cut crystal stemware the boss gave us for a wedding gift.. don't think we ever opened 'em. "He rifles through the boxes the movers had brought up until he found the box they were in.

Rude smiled, a tiny snort coming from his nose as he replaced their two wineglasses in the cupboard.

Reno filled two of them with the merlot he'd chilled, and he lifted his. "To old partnerships with new beginnings." he smiled a little.  
"To crispy quesadillias," Rude replied, clinking his glass lightly against Reno's.

Reno laughed. clinking back.

Tseng meanwhile also had candles up. ..the steaks that had been delivered wih all the trimmings smelling absolutely wonderful.

"You spoil me, Tseng," Rufus chuckled, leaning back in the chair, dressed only in a silk bathrobe and the pair of bunny slippers Elena had gotten him last holiday.

"It is my duty and my pleasure.. .the winter festival will be here soon. I wished to make it enjoyable. "He looks over at where Dark Nation cleaned her kittens, curling around them. .. in two more weeks it would be time for them to go to their new homes, and he knew a lot of Rufus' tension would ease once they were gone, though they'd not been near as difficult as Dark Nation when she was a kitten, something he thanked Leviathan for.

"I don't remember a holiday without a company party to attend..." he said softly. As much as he hated the functions, he found that they were missed when things were... as they were.

Tseng stiffened suddenly before mouthing to Rufus "Go. ...call Yuffie." the motion in the dim corners of the room disturbed him.

Rufus smiled and stood. "I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?" he asked, understanding Tseng's words but not wanting to give whomever was spying on them any indication that they knew they were being watched.

"Please."

Rufus' movements were slow and easy as he set about making tea with more noise than was nessissary. While he was doing that, he picked up his phone, quickly dialing the Wutain princess.

"Hey, Yuffie Kisaragi here. What's up"  
Tseng meanwhile kept a close eye on that shadow, he did not wish to alert Shion that he knew he was there,, but he did not want to be surprised either.

"Track my phone," was all he said before hanging up and placing the phone in his robe's pocket. He finished with the tea, bringing out two cups and handing one to Tseng.

"Thank you."

It took Yuffie all of twenty minutes to track the phone, she did not knock, but rather slid inside through the door that Tseng had left slightly ajar after Rufus had called. ..her eyes narrowing as she took out a shurikan, one that had a sleeping draught on the tines, and flung it into the shadow she could see moving against the wall of Tseng and Rufus' bedroom.

There was a tiny chuckle from the complete opposite direction, the direction of the wall with the open window. Then there was a little movement, followed by... silence.

Yuffie was out of the window, and after him, giving chase. .determined to catch him. ..

"Good to see you as well, Yuffie," Rufus said with a chuckle to the empty window.

Tseng chuckled. "She'll catch him, you do not ever try to toy with the princess, she pays you back double for it." 


	54. Chapter 54

Rufus just laughed, then took a sip of his tea. "Where were we?" he asked with a little glint in his eye.

Tseng brushed his lips against Rufus' throat. "I believe. .it was here."

A moan dripped from Rufus' throat as he forced himself to set his teacup down without breaking it. "I... I do believe you are right, Tseng."

Tseng suckled a moment at his elegent neck before traveling to his chest, taking a tiny pink bud in between his teeth with a gentle pressure. then further down to apply soft kisses to his belly, then he pours a tiny bit of that wine into his belly button and licks it away before his mouth skirts the shaft that cries for attention, moving to those quivering thighs.

"Do you think -- ooh, right there -- that we might dabble in other things as well, Tseng?" Rufus asked.

"Oh of course. ..we do have the candles. ..I think you would enjoy that."

"I do believe I would."

Tseng lifted one of the lit candles out of the candelabra, dribbling the hot wax onto his skin before pouring the wine over it, licking gently to clean the wax and wine behind each pass.

Rufus moaned, his pale skin jumping slightly as the hot wax touched it, only to seem to meet Tseng's equally hot tongue with each touch.

Tseng then touched the wax directly to the center of his need, followed by that lashing tongue before whispering "Tell me what you want." The hiss that escaped the blonde at the wax touching his nether regions was quickly drawn back in. "Not to have to pick wax from places I'd rather not?" he offered with a slight chuckle that ended in a moan.

Tseng chuckled. "Do you want to roar out in such pleasaure it blinds you, hmm?"

"Yes, but no wax picking," Rufus said with an almost smug grin.

Tseng takes him into his mouth while using some of the wine to wet his fingers, sliding first one, then two inside. ..crooking them to brush inside just as he buries him into his throat.

Rufus gasped, his eyes widening but not seeing, his hands going to meet Tseng's hair as the elder man's name falls from his lips.

Tseng bobbed his head up, taking the tip gently between his teeth, a sly grin on his face. ..lashing at it with his tounge before burrowing it dreep in his throat, a bit of the wine still in his mouth.

There was a wet almost clicking sounding noise that came from Rufus' throat as he fought for air. "Now, please, Tseng," he gasped.

Tseng prepared him gently, then pushed himself inside, gasping at the warm clenching heat that suddenly enveloped him. "Oh, Rufus. .." he moaned. "You feel incredible and wonderful."

"Gah, please, Tseng, PLEASE," Rufus pleaded, his blunt nails digging into the elder man's arms, trying to get him to move.  
R Tseng's motions were gentle and slow at first, every thrust scraping that spot inside, before instinct took over and he began driving in,hard and fast, groaning, gasping. "Leviathan, Rufus. .." it was a hushed, reverant whisper.

The capacity for speech left the blonde as he just held on to Tseng, sensations wiping all other thoughts from his mind.

Tseng doused his hand in the wine, wrapping it around Rufus' shaft, timing the strokes with the thrusts "I love you, my dear heart." he whispered into the blond ruler's ear.

Rufus sucked in a breath, holding it before sucking in even more air, releasing the breath as his own release splashed his stomach.

Tseng let out a hitching gasp as the dark haired head tilted back and he spilled himself inside, Rufus' name falling in a gasping moan from his lips.

Rufus' limbs felt weak as he sighed a happy sigh. "As I said, you spoil me, Tseng."

"I love you, dear one. ..it is why I do so. It is my honor to make you feel wonderful I am certain our subordinates are doing so as well. Things seem to have at last settled to an even keel."

Rufus sighed that happy sigh again, wrapping his arms around the elder man and holding him close, touch saying more than words ever could.

Reno meanwhile was on the phone, making the last of the arrangements. The service was tomorrow, but he did not feel QUITE so overwhelmed as he had the previous day. "So, 11 am, then? Thanks, yo. You got the dress Ms Marshal sent over to put on her? Great, thanks. Yeah, viewing's at 2 pm, but I doubt there'll be many people there aside from a few of her cousins, and maybe her brother"  
Rude was sitting on the couch, foot propped up on the coffee table as he watched some random sports game or another, another beer in hand.

"Ok, 'sdone, finally. ." he plopped down in front of the game with Rude putting an arm around him, leaning on him.  
Rude grunted and nodded, his eyes flicking from the television to Reno's face, and seeing things well, went right back to the television. He couldn't remember the last time they just sat around, watched a game, and just plain hung out.

The red was still around the rims of his eyes, but that really considering the past few days was to be expected. . It definatly felt good to just sit, drink a beer, and veg for a while.

The seasons had passed, baseball giving way to the fall sports, like the rugby game they were watching. Rude made a disappointed noise as one of the members of the team he was rooting for made a very bad play call.

Reno pointed to one corner of the screen where said player had fallen and was slow to get up. "think we got an injury. .say, isn't he their first string forward? That's gonna hurt when it comes playoff time."

"Feel almost sorry for them sometimes," Rude replied. "No materia, no potions, nothing." He smiled at Reno, his free hand finding its way into the smaller man's hair to just play with it.

Reno had his hand draped over Rude's back, looking up a moment. "Tomorrow's gonna be busy. ..glad we can veg today. need ta be at the funeral home at 11 ta oversee the setting of everything. ..then viewing's at 2, service at 4. . ."

Rude nodded. "If you need me to do anything more..." he offered.

"Just be there."

Rude smiled and nodded again, then turned his attention back to the game. As his team scored, his smile widened an a "Nice," slid from his lips.

"Good kick, yo!" he smiled too.

mAnd so they sat in comfortable guy bonding until the game was over, at which point Rude led Reno back to the bedroom, this time for sleep as opposed to other activities. "You need your rest," he said, indicating that there would be no additional extra curriculars that night.  
R Reno nodded, his eyes were drooping and he knew he had at least once over the course of the game fallen asleep on him.  
m Rude waited for that telltale twitch, then let sleep claim him as well.

Reno woke to softly falling rain tapping against the windowpane, as if even the weather knew this was a day for letting go and saying goodbye.

"Morning," Rude said, his voice soft but slightly rough from disuse over the night.  
"Morning.. . suitable weather, huh?" He ghosted the long, slender fingers over the glass where water sheeted along it on the other side. "Tifa's gonna bring Rennan for the viewing and the service, then he's home afterward. .." his voice was quiet, as if he was gathering the strength he'd need to get through this day.

Rude's shrug was not as careless as some would think. "I like the rain," he replied with a tiny smile. "Comforting. Cleansing." He nodded towards the bathroom.

"It's like. .even it knows it's a day for cleansing away the past and saying goodbye. ..'sgonna be rough, but Hell, I'm not afraid. ..bring it on."

Rude smiled, heading into the bathroom for a shower. He needed a little cleansing himself.

Reno trailed behind him of course, the two blending back into normalcy not quite as if the past year had never happened, because it would always sit in the back of their minds that it had. ..but still slipping back into the old routines and somehow being STRONGER for it. he marveled a little at that.

When they had finished, Rude looked at the clock. They were due at the funeral home in less than an hour. He sighed, glancing over at Reno before looking through the closet for his suit.

Reno had found his. ..he had the stereo playing in the bedroom as he got dressed, as he often did. ..he smiled even through his tears, the song spoke of how he felt for his husband so eloquently. .he softly sang along as he got into his own suit. "Oh can't you see it baby, don't gotta close your eyes, it's standing right before you. all that you need will surely come." Yes, the song was muchy, and romantic, and he'd shoot anyone but Rude who tried to make him admit he liked it, but he did.

"Girl," Rude teased, buttoning his shirt before tucking it into his pants and looking for his shoes.  
R Reno laughed this time, tying his shoes, then walking over for Rude to help him with the tie. "One day I'll figure the damn thing out."

Rude's lips were quick, almost swooping in to place a gentle peck to Reno's lips before moving back. "One of these days," he replied.  
Reno took a quick deep breath. .."If Myron's there, there'll probably be no problem. ..but Uncle Mitchell and aunt Maggie. .they're old fashioned. ..hopin' they don't come. Grandpa Tarshil might or might not come, I'm hoping to GODS he doesn't. .." he shivers a bit at the thought.  
Rude had never really asked Reno about his family more than the required 'how are they?' It would be interesting to meet them, however unfortuantely the circumstances.

"Grandpa Tarshil is parta why Dad was so damn unstable. .. 'course I doubt Dad was ever too emoitionally stable in the first place. Aunt Maria, his sister was a sweet woman. . .she was Em's momma. 'stoo bad she died birthing Em, you woulda liked her. We'll see if George and Kendell and Alex come, those are my three cousins on Mom's side, Uncle Myron's three boys."

Rude nodded, finshing with the last respectful touches of his outfit. Simple silver studs in each hole and his good sunglasses.  
Reno had ditched his earings altogether, brushing his hair and geling it down ito a smooth surface then drawing it back into the normal tail, but instead of leaving it long, catching it up with another tie so it didn't hang quite so long.  
"Ready?" Rude asked, noting that Reno cleaned up rather nicely, then he noted that it was not the time or place for such thoughts.

"Yeah. ..let's go." He headed out for the car, thinking of the cousins and the rest of his family that he hadn't seen in ages. . .Myron had wanted to take him, but by the time he'd been allowed Reno had already run, completely untraceable. He idly wondered what h'd think of him now, all grown up and a Turk.

Rude drove them in silence, only speaking when he asked Reno the direction he was supposed to turn.

Reno directed him into the oversized church-like building in tthe sounthern quarter of the city, not the worst section, but not the nicest section where the new tower was around 1/3 of the way complete either. the Shinra section was likely to be expensive in Edge, just as it had been in Midgar.

Rude parked the car, getting out and opening an umbrella they always kept in the car. He went over to Reno's side, holding the umbrella up so the redhead wouldn't get wet.

Reno as they strode in gulped, seeing his mom's family there, and a few members of his Dad's..and as he'd dreaded his grandfather was there, he seemed almost to be holding court.

Rude glanced over at Reno, not sure if he should take his hand or not, but gaze offering what little comfort it could.

Reno strode over into the knot of people, waving at George and Kendell asking where their brother was, they replied he was off somewhere in the city on a date.

Rude nodded to the group of people, waiting for Reno to begin the introductions.

"Yeah, these are my cousins, George and Kendell, Alex is out on a date. The older couple over there are Uncle Mitchell and Aunt Maggie, I'd hoped they wouldn't show, but heh, they seem to have an insane need to rain on people's parades. and THAT is Grandpa Reginald. ..Dad's dad. ."

Rude raised an eyebrow at the word of a cousin being on a date instead of at a funeral. It just wasn't proper, in his eyes, but he wasn't going to say anything.

Reno watched as the barrel chested old man approached now, looking down on him with cold eyes. "Hey, Grandpa."

"Who's this?" the elderly man asked, his eyes sharp.

"My partner." he answered, just as sharply. He knew he'd probably seen the wedding bands, but he'd not give an inch.  
"Sir," Rude said in greeting.

"Don't 'sir' me, you faggot," Reginald replied. He was old and crochety, and felt he had lived long enough to say what he wanted, when he wanted. He turned to Reno. "I knew my son didn't beat the queer out of you soon enough"  
Reno's eyes narrowed "I paid for this. ..oh. ..is that your problem. .that Shinra's 'Blood Money' paid to bury your daughter in law. ..which by the way, it was your son's fault I didn't HAVE a mother after I turned 11. . ." he spit the words, his body was shaking with fury. ..if his grandfather didn't back off it was guaranteed to get ugly.

"Your mother's the reason you're a little faggot," the old man spat, his age showing in the way his hands shook slightly. "Sure, she was nice to look at, but my son didn't rein her in enough, let her make you into some sort of man who thinks like a damn woman."

Reno growled, but he restrained himself. ..he would NOT get into a fight at his mother's funeral. "Listenm here, old man. ..I know you'd just love it if I caused a scandal right here at Mom's funeral by decking your old ass, but you know what? You aren't worth it."

"Don't want you or your queer biker boyfriend at my funeral," the old man grumbled.

"He is not my BOYFRIEND, he is my SPOUSE, and I don't give a shit really what you think, soon enough you'll be floating in the lifestream in the place set aside for rotton people along with those fucking remnants."

"Men marryin' men, ShinRa taking out entire sectors, Meteor's dropping, what's this world coming to?" He complained, wandering shakily over towards the nearest chair.

Now that comment made Reno mad, really mad, but instead of going off on the old man he stood up on the podium, taking the microphone in his hand. "OK, out with it now...anyone else here has a problem with me an' m'husband bein' married, or with what I did to keep someone precious ta me safe, OUT with it now. ..I'm here to bury my mom, not to make it into some fuckin' political forum, but it seems a FEW people here are determined ta turn it into one." He gestures around the entire crowd. "Anyone else who has any problem with how I live my damn life is welcome to step their asses out the door, because I don't need the fuckin' hassle today."

Reginald, feeling he said his part to his faggot grandson, kept his mouth shut.

Rude, on the other hand, was trying to discreetly pull the microphone away from Reno and pull the redhead out of the spotlight. It was neither the time nor the place for such things, regardless of how provoked they were.

Reno stepped down, he knew Rude was right, but he was also quite proud of himself for not doing what would have been his typical reaction before this year of Hell had matured him, which would have been simply to deck the asshole, instead he simply lifted his nose into the air as he strode by to meet the minister.

Rude, having gotten Reno to step down, walked behind him towards the minister.

Reno pointed out where he wanted everything, then began mingling with his cousins, toally ignoring the disapproving looks from his father's younger bgrother and sister in law. Mitchell and Maggie were very old fashioned.

Rude stood at parade rest beside Reno, just being there for the redhead.

It was not until the service itself actually began when they strode out into the finely misting rain that Reno began to break down, no longer caring what any of his family thought, leaning heavily into Rude, gripping his hand ith almost enough force to break it, not resting his head on his husband's shoulder fully, but his body language still made it clear he was drawing strength from the larger man. When he was asked to drop a handful of dirt on top of the casket and speak a few words, the dirt was taken into a badly trembling hand, the fine loam slipping through shaking fingers as he remembered everything he had done with his mother over the short number of years he'd had her with him.

Rude squeezed back just as hard, pressing his lips to the top of Reno's head in what was supposed to be a comforting kiss.

"My mom.. .was a wonderful, sweet and loving woman, no matter what anyone else thought of her. .she fought for the rights of others to live the life they wanted, encouraged everyone she knew around her to go for their dreams. The few short years that she was in my life, despite difficult circumstances, were ones in which I managed to find some happiness. ..and now. ..for the first time you are all going to know what she endured. I know a lot of you were told that what happened to my mother was an accident. ..well, it wasn't." and in a shaking voice he enumerated the story of his life. .leaving out only the rape because he wasn't sure he'd be believed.

Rude cringed at several parts of the story, even some of them he'd heard before. It was truly traumatic in parts, but... Reno needed to be heard.

He looked directly at his grandfather when he said "If it weren't for mom, I never would have had the courage to reach out for Rude. ..and if it weren't for Rude, I would have been dead long ago, many times over"  
Rude fought the urge to brush the compliment off, doing nothing more than acting as a source of comfort for his partner.

Reginald frowned, his aging lips mouthing the words, "Queer... Fag..."

Reno simply sneered at his grandfather then spoke aloud "And some of you think Rude and I's love is wrong just because the form it comes in isn't traditional. ..somea you strongly enough ta kill to defend your beliefs. ..well let me say one thing. ..love is a good and precious thing, no matter where you find it. And I'd sure as FUCK rather be with Rude than some bitch who's only there because she thinks a Turk's some cheap thrill. and yes, my hand did push the button that dropped the plate on Sector 7. Did I regret it? Damn right I did. But I did it to protect someone I love more than life itself. .and I'd do it again if it came down to that. I would regret it just as much, but I'd do it again."

Rude shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't so keen on being part of the center of attention at a place where he was the only unknown.

He stepped away from the microphone, practically DARING his grandfather to say something when he was called.

Reginald declined his chance to speak. He had never thought of Reno's mother as anything more than a pretty face in life, why would he speak false words of praise at her death?

Reno watched his aunt and uncle come up to the podium, again his eyes flashing challenge.

Rude squeezed Reno's hand, silently asking him not to cause another scene.

As his aunt spoke, she kept her speech mild when speaking of her sister in law, her own eyes telling her husband the same. Before she herself surprised everyone by saying. "Reginald. .I am surprised at your defense of your son. .I know what he did to your grandson, even if you don't. ..Marie called me that morning and told me everything. .."

"My son did nothing wrong," Reginald replied, going into a coughing fit shortly after the word 'wrong'.

"You don't call raping your own boy wrong, you are sicker than I thought. ." with that she stepped down.. clearly showing the dividing line of who stood where.

The word "Dicipine," was spoken by the old man, syllables cut off with further coughing before he finished each part of the word.

As her casket was lowered into the ground people pointedly stayed away from the old man, gathering around Reno with condolences and loving words. "here" Maggie handed Reno a house key, it went to their vacation home in Costa. "She'd have wanted you to have this."

Rude raised an eyebrow in question at Reno.

"Mom's vacation house in Costa...you know the little house next to the Villa Del Sol? this is to that."

"I don't remember anyone vacationing there..." Rude replied with a frown.

"Her dad bought it. ..she never got to use it. . ..thanks to Dad."

Rude thought a little more, then shrugged as if dismissing it.  
Maggie smiled a bit as she walked away.

Reno then leaned into Rude as they walked out, Tifa approachign with Rennan.

Rude nodded a greeting to the woman and smiled at the child. He was glad Rennan hadn't been forced into sitting through the whole ceremony. It would have been torture for the hyperactive child.  
"Papa's ok?"

Reno had withdrawn a bit now, exhastion becoming obvious in the lines of his body. .. it had been draining, the whole event, to say the least.

"Papa'll be all right," Rude nodded, that small smile still on his face.  
"Let's go home. ." he took Rennan's hand in one, and Rude's in the other.

"Home," Rude echoed with a nod. 


	55. Chapter 55

Reno didn't say a word the whole ride home, though Rude and likely Rennan would both be able to see how he was still trembling slightly, the aftermath of spilling his soul to his family hitting him now. He had done it as a spur of the moment thing, and had not even intended it to go that far at first, but it had felt good, oh so good, to have some of the family who hadn't known what he'd endured as a child now know it so they knew the kind of poison the Tarshil patriarch really was. But now. ..now the fear of his own over boldness had hit and he leaned back in the seat, not only a little afraid of that but astonished as well.

Rude moved about as if nothing were out of the ordinary, finding that sometimes the best thing to do was, well, what they normally did. "My turn to make dinner," he said casually. "Anything in particular you two want?"

"That spaghetti ya made that time was awesome. ..I'd like that." He smiled slightly, the tremors beginning to die off. He'd talk about it after he'd eaten and recharged some. While dinner cooked, filling the house with wonderful smell of Rude's home made mushroom marinara, he helped Rennan with his homework.

Rude very quietly hummed a little song while he cooked, an upbeat Costan folk tune that made just about every native to that area smile upon the first note.

And smile Reno did, he knew, somehow, that Momma was there in spirit, and always would be, and SHE'D be proud of the life he'd made for himself. She used to tell him "Renny, you make whatever life you want for yourself, be strong, stand up for what you want, don't ever let anyone tell you you can't do something just because we happen to be poor and live below the plate, you hear me?" it made him smile all the more, remembering those words.

Rude bobbed his head a little as he hummed. He took out a spoon, using the back of it to taste some of the sauce. He licked his lips for a moment, placing the spoon in the sink before he shook his head and went over to the spice rack. If his mother were there, she'd surely make a comment about how Rude had picked up his kitchen manners from her.

When supper was finished, Rennan's homework packed back away in his bookbag, hands washed, and clothes from the previous night picked up from the floor, sorted into dry cleaning and normal laundry, they both were sitting. Reno actually began to share with his his son some of his momma's sayings. "Momma used to tell me that being rich or poor didn't matter. ..it's how hard your'e willing to try to get what you want from life. You take that to heart, Rennan, and you'll be able to achieve whatever you want when you're older."

Rude set the pot of sauce next to the bowl of noodles he'd already put on the table, sitting down in his customary seat at the head of the table. That was something, he realized with a tiny smile, he'd picked up from his father. It was strange, how much he realized he was a blending of his parents, something he probably would no have realized without having -- and it was only a little mental gulp this time -- a kd.

That is partially what SCARED Reno a little, he knew he had a few of his father's tendencies. ..mostly in his ability to be reckless at times. To know that he had ANY of his father in him scared the Hell out of him, as he would tell Rude later. He didn't want to EVER let loose on Rennan the way his father had him, the possibility that he one day COULD scared the Hell out of him..

Rude shook his head, noticing the tiny frown on Reno's face. "My Momma used to tell me to get my elbows off the table," he teased, nodding to both father and son with both elbows on said table.

"Heh, yeah." He moved his elbow. "Sorry. ..was woolgathering, huh?"

"Just a little," Rude replied.

Reno smiled a little distractedly then his face saying he'd talk about it after Rennan was in bed.

Rude smiled back, finishing his dinner.

"Ok, it's bath and then bed for you, Rennan, and NO sneaking on the pc and staying on it until 11 pm like you did at Tifa's last night!"

"But Papa!" the boy whined as Rude set about cleaning up the dinner dishes and putting the leftovers in the fridge.

"No buts, you got school in the morning, and you do get whiny when you don't get enough sleep." And then he shared another of his mother's witticisms almost without realizing. "Buts are for the backs of little boys not for convincing someone to let you have something you want, now into the tub with ya."

"Awwww," he complained, making his way to the bathroom anyway.

Reno chuckled as Rennan finished his bath and then he helped him into his pajamas, and got him settled into bed with a hug and a kiss and a bedtime story. Once he'd done that he sat down on the sofa where Rude was watching some crime drama and set his head on Rude's shoulder. "I guess. ..what's bothering me is I know I got somea Dad's odd tendencies. My recklessness? That's all Dad. ..and it scares me a little ya know?"

Rude knew all about being afraid of what one was capable of doing. He was the one with the anger problem, after all.

"I don't ever wanna hurt Rennan like Dad did me. ..I think I'd probably wanna kill myself if I ever did.. I love him ta death." He sighed, shaking his head, but yes, getting the fear out in the open, even if it didn't solve the problem, somehow made it easier to DEAL with it.

"You're not your father," Rude said plainly.

He nodded then. "No,, I'm not. .I turn it inward for the most part. ..something else I know you don't really like me doing, either,." He shrugged a little bit, the cutting was partially that, him turning that anger inward and onto himself.

"You're a perfectly normal father." And Rude really, truly believed that.

That made Reno smile. "I tried to actually treat Rennan a lot like Mom treated me. ..She was. ." and he suddenly got reminiscent. "She used to sit me up on her lap when I was Rennan's age. .showing me where all the keys were. ..her bigger hands on mine. That old piano was all we had left after we moved from above the plate to under it after Dad was fired.I loved those times."

Rude nodded, putting his arm around Reno's shoulders and holding him close, letting him speak what was on his mind.

"Momma used to say things like 'Don't let the fact that you're poor keep you from getting what you want from life.' and 'Sometimes you have to come at a problem from an angle you'd never think to in order to solve the problem.' Smart, smart woman. ..I don't know how she missed all of the signs of Dad being what he was."

"Love is blind," Rude quoted his own mother... the be all, end all, smartest woman in the world... according to him.

"Maybe. ..I think she mighta had a bit of a savior complex, ya know? She thought. .maybe if she loved Dad long enough. .hard enough. . he'd be a good man."

Rude kept his ideas that some women thought like that to himself. It was a respectful thing to say in the wake of the woman's passing.

"I know I have that problem too a little bit." He chuckled at himself. "But I turned out to be right."

Rude's frown held a teasing edge to it. "You don't have to love me enough to make me a good man; I AM a good man, Reno Tarshil." That frown quickly gave way to a smile.

Reno tilted a brow, then grinned, actually grinned. It still held a tinge of sadness to it, and would for a long while. ..but still...it was a good thing, right?

"Told you," Rude replied, tilting his head forward to press his nose to Reno's.

Reno leaned in, tilting his head down so their lips met, and he spoke those three words that he knew made Rude feel good, even if he teased him about being a sap sometimes. "I love you, Rude Urar, with every ounce of my being. Never forget that."

"Kinda hard to," Rude replied, moving away to place a kiss on Reno's nose.

Reno sighed, leaning into him, hoping for just ONE more night of peace before Shion showed up again.

Rude just held the redhead in his arms, not really doing anything one way or the other, just holding him.

Reno leaned up then, mouth pressing to Rude's with soft, gentle pressure.. his eyes closing a bit.

The words "Love you" slid from Rude's lips inbetween kisses, his tongue flicking out to request entrance to Reno's mouth.

Reno let him, moaning a bit at the heady, wonderous scent that was Rude's alone, it was intoxicating.

Rude's hands moved on Reno's back, his own body helping the man lean backwards until he was laying on the couch. A tiny, pleasant moan left Rude's lips as he paused to lick at Reno's kiss-swollen ones.

Reno moaned softly again, this one a bit deeper, his fingers dancing over the bald skull. ..it felt so wonderful to be just like this. ..to have Rude's hands on that slender body again.

Rude shifted his position, lining up his body to Reno's the best he could. He could feel that the redhead was enjoying himself as he slightly ground his hips against his partner's.

Reno's skin pinked, his breath hitching just the tiniest bit. ..whether in pleasure or a supressed sob, who would ever know,but the pink flush of arousal never dimmed.

"Want you," Rude mumbled, knowing he didn't really need to say the words, as it was evident in his body's reactions.

"Take me, yo. ..please. ." the hitching breath that came out this time did sound a bit like a sob, but his body spoke volumes.

A tiny sound of a sleeping child came from the hallway to Rennan's room, freezing Rude. He blinked, pulling away from Reno. "Not here," he said, standing and holding his hand out to help Reno do the same.

Reno took it, slipping into their bedroom, knowing that even when he stifled the sounds a romp on the sofa was NOT the best idea in the world, being caught by Livewire was bad enough.

Rude nodded towards the bed. "Strip."

Reno stripped, quickly. . .his own arousal bobbing at the crown of his legs, making things very obbvious.

"On the bed." Rude's commands were crisp, clear, but held a current of desire under them.

Reno laid down, and his eyes asked how.

"On your stomach." Rude began removing his clothes at a slightly slower pace, eyes focusing on Reno's pale form in the small amount of moonlight that came through the blinds.

Reno laid on his belly, his body completely relaxed, waiting for his touch, aching for it, craving it.

Before Rude went to the bed, he opened the blinds on the window facing the moon, letting in more of that cool light to pool around the redhead. He stood there for a moment, just taking in the lovely sight.

Reno on his belly with a single leg crooked just the tiniest bit, red hair spilled out like a curtain around him and down his back, skin milk pale, though scarred. You couldn't BE a Turk without sustaining scar tissue, though not all of that scar tissue was from his job. ..the moonlight even silvered the scar underneath his manhood, the result of Corneo's cruelty, and the one on his tailbone from Krastof. his body was a roadmap of his lifetime of hardship. . but that lifetime had made him stronger. ..

A tiny noise of appreciation came from Rude's throat as he made his way to the bed. He crawled on it, kneeling beside Reno. His hands, usually so warm, were a tad chilled, but he rubbed them together to heat them before laying them on the redhead's back, fingers instinctually seeking out sore muscles.

Reno moaned just a bit in response, that soft sound coming from his throat as he softly said "I can't believe I was ever afraid of that bigoted son of a bitch."

Rude's touch slowly went from healing to arousing as his fingers sought out the parts of Reno's back and sides that made the redhead squirm. "Shh," he said softly. "No words of anyone else now. Just... be here with me."

Reno sighed as relief came to tightened muscles, he leaned into the touch, soaking up every bit of it. "I missed this ..more than you know, yo."

"Me too," Rude replied, moving his hands down to gently massage Reno's ass and thighs.

Reno arched into the touches again, and Rude would be able to see how the hint of his balls and cock he could see were pulsing just slightly with the pleasure he was receiving. "You're so good to me. ..better than I deserve sometimes."

Rude shook his head, even though he knew Reno wouldn't be able to see it. His thumbs dug into tense thigh muscles, loosening them painlessly before fingertips trailing light touches over the insides of those thighs.

His breath hitched, "You feel wonderful. .."

"Keep telling me that and I might believe you," he teased, taking a single finger and lightly running it between the redhead's cheeks.

Reno arched his back up more, another hitch of breath ending in a sighing groan. "It's true. ."

"I'm sorry," Rude teased, running his finger again lightly. "Is this bothering you?"

"fuck no. .. feels. ..Gods. ."

Rude shook his head. "Sarcasm, Reno," he mumbled, folding his body down to nip lightly at the skin of Reno's lower back.

Of course he doesn't know the difference right now, too absorbed in the feelings of the big hands on him. .."Love feeling your hands all over me."

Rude chuckled, that deep chuckle that he had while they were being intimate, his hands moving over Reno's skin as his lips and teeth touched parts of the redhead's back he knew would get a reaction out of his partner.

Another hitching moan. ..and despite how shy with his words he normally was in bed he actually said "Please. ..I want you to fuck me. ..drive me into the damn mattress. .."

"Since you asked so nicely," Rude said with that same chuckle. He reached towards the nightstand, taking out the bottle of lube. He coated a pair of fingers, sliding them along Reno's opening before pressing a single one all the way inside.

Reno shivered. ..an all over tremor that drove the finger in yet more deeply. .brushing against the nerves inside in a way that made him gasp. ."Sweet fucking Shiva. .."

Rude slid his second finger in, arching them just so and making sure Reno was nice, loose, and lubed.

Another tiny gasp, a moan of Rude's name as his body began to light up. ..THIS is the loving he had missed. ..this was what was his and Rude's alone. ..something Josh had never and would never have.

Rude's fingers slowly left his lover's body, leaving the big man to moved himself over his slighter companion. He placed himself at Reno's entrance, just waiting for that last little indication that he always wanted, that last little thing that said 'Yes, Rude, this is what I want."

He got it in a slight tilting backward of that head, baring the elegent neck completely, and a hissing moan that was accompanied by a lifting of his hips.

Rude pressed in slowly, not stopping until he was fully seated in that heat.

Reno as he was impaled began panting, his head tilting even further back to rest on Rude's shoulder as the bigger man leaned over him, the sweet scent of passion beginning to exude from his pores with each thrust.

Rude arched, pulling himself out slowly before thrusting back in with a snap of his hips.

"Ngn. .." the wordless vocalazation that hinted of a bliss so overwhelming he couldn't express it with words was uttered from deep within that slender chest, sensation spiraling out from where Rude thrusted inside and outward along his nerves until every part of his body was buzzing with feeling completely indescribable. His toes curled, and his fingers clawed the bedsheets as the large Costan did UNBELIEVABLE things to his body.

Wordless sounds fell from Rude's lips as he continued to pull slowly from Reno, only to thrust back in with a snapping of his hips. He could feel the pleasureful sensations tickling his nerves.

When Reno finally found some sort of power of speech the only thing that came out where a few mumbled, strangled curses. ..each thrust drove his cock into the bedsheets, and brought another hissing gasp from him. ..he was dribbling tiny white pearls that stuck to the bedsheets and his head tilted further back with each snapping thrust.

"Like that--" Rude gasped between thrusts. "--don't you?"

All he could do was nod slightly as his eyes slid closed and his body shuddered under Rude with the intensity, his body moving automatically to meet each thrust, before white fire exploded behind his eyelids, forcing him to bury his face into the mattress to muffle the pleasured cry that came out as he thrashed when orgasm ripped through the slender form, causing him to clamp down hard on this one he married.

Rude's hips moved forward with much force, burying him to the hilt inside that wonderfully spasming channel, allowing it to draw out his own climax.

"Love you. .." he whispered." before collapsing on his belly.

A grunt was Rude's response before he pulled himself out and flopped sideways, laying next to Reno.

Tseng meanwhile was sitting awake at the kitchen table, he and Rufus going over the paperwork from the work site.

Rufus chewed on the end of his pen, mentally calculating the time it would take to finish up the building enough to occupy it.

So caught up in their work were the two that neither of them noticed the small form slipping in through the open bedroom window. ..Dark Nation, having been drugged, did not give the alarm, she was fast asleep, her kittens curled around her.

"There's no way we're going to be finished enough to be in there before the first snow," Rufus said, his tone holding a tiny, almost impercievable whine to it. "And we do not have any more manpower we can borrow from Reeve..."

"We may have to bite the bullet and contract a crew." Tseng stated. There were several companies that took building contracts around Edge, and the tower was actually considered a prime contract to land, especially as Rufus had been hesitant to use contracters because they were so gods awful expensive.

A yawn slid past Rufus' all-business exterior, indicating just how long a day they had put in. "We'll call Reeve in the morning, see who he would recommend. ShinRa does not have the best name right now, and it wouldn't do to have some unsavory people working on my building."

That is when the dagger was set against Tseng's throat, his eyes clearly saying "Not this again."

Rufus outwardly showed no sign of fear or even discomfort. "I told you your child needed discipline," he said softly.

"Onto the bed. ..Father knows the punishment for this crime quite well."

Rufus rolled his eyes. "This again?" A tiny smile touched the corner of his mouth as he stood, buttoning his jacket before turning his back to them and walking towards the bed. "You would think, for one who dislikes the idea of two men together so much, you would be in less of a hurry to see such a sight."

"I don't particularly wish to, but there is something to be said for tradition, is there not?"

Tseng did not comment, having a sharp dagger wielded by a skilled ninja at his throat was plenty of inducment to stay quiet.

"I suggest you shut your filthy Shinra trap if you don't wish to see him die now."

"Respect your elders," Rufus said casually, slipping off his shoes as he climbed onto the bed. "I suppose you would like to see me undressed?"

"That would be the point of this entire excersize, would it not?" He poked his father with the dagger in a gesture of warning, drawing a tiny bead of blood.

Rufus sighed. "Patience. Children should also have patience," he muttered, carefully removing his jacket, folding it, then setting it aside before moving on to the next piece of his clothing.

Shion waited until Rufus was fully undressed before siftly grabbing Rufus and holding him at knifepoint while his father undressed.

Tseng motioned with his eyes in a signal that Rufus would understand that his shotgun was hidden underneath their mattress.

Rufus raised his eyesbrows back, a clear indication that he was well aware of that, but how the hell was he going to fish it out with a knife against his throat?

Tseng's expression said "You'll have your chance, you do usually bottom you know."

Rufus just rolled his eyes and sighed.

Tseng as he finished undressing settled to his knees.

Shion released Rufus from the knifehold so he could also kneel in front of Tseng.

"What would you have us do?" Rufus asked, that tiny smile returning to his face. "I hear that, while not as good as our dear Reno, I am rather skilled with my mouth."

"Oh, trust me, I will delight in going after them when I have finished with you two. But I have little time. ..on your knees, Shinra. .Father is to get on with this business."

Tseng rolled his eyes inwardly. Of course his son would want to get this done quickly so he could take both trophies in one day before Yuffie caught up to him.

Another roll of his eyes, looking for all the world like a petulant teenager, Rufus did as he was told.

Tseng got the lube out of the dresser, Shion watching him closely the whole time as he spread it over his fingers, preparing Rufus, Then sliding home.

It was a rather uncomfortable feeling, having no preamble to this joining. It did, however, allow Rufus to slide closer to the edge of the bed, to drape his arms off.

Shion held his dagger to Tseng's back, in such a way that it would pierce both their hearts with a single thrust.

Tseng moved slowly, knowing that he was safe for the time being, gesturing with his eyes for Rufus to get the gun as soon as he could.

Rufus knew he had to make his fumblings look believable, at least from Shion's angle. A moan left his lips as he felt Tseng touch that spot inside him, a moan that covered him nearly dropping the just found shotgun.

Tseng moaned softly as well, some things one simply could not deny themselves.

Shion sneered a bit, pressing the dagger just the tiniest bit, he was enjoying the fact that he would soon be rid of two more deviants.

Rufus needed a better way to get a shot. "Tseng," he moaned. "Let me... let me see you." He wanted to roll over, to face Tseng so he could at least see their adversary before firing a round.

Tseng nodded, turning him to face him, holding him.

A well timed hit on that spot inside him made Rufus arch his back, his arm reaching down to grasp his shotgun tightly. Just a little more...

Tseng wrapped his mouth around Rufus' nipple just then.

Rufus looked down at Tseng, the sat up, the muscles in his abdomen straining to lift both him and Tseng up enough. Rufus brought up his gun, aimed without much thought, and fired a shot into the child's chest.

Shion looked down in utter shock, watching the crimson stain blossom across his chest for several long moments before the pain registered and he dropped. .but not before the dagger pentrated Tseng's shoulder, causing the older Wutain to wince in pain.

"I suppose I should be fortunate your good aim threw his off."

Rufus stood quickly, holding his gun to bear on the child, unsure if he should let him out of his sight. "Is he...?"

Shion let out one last hitching gasp before no more sounded, that gasp was extremely wet sounding.

Rufus set the weapon down on the bed, looking over at Tseng. "I... I'm sorry, Tseng."

Tseng began reciting the prayer of the dead in his native tounge quietly for a few moments before speaking "It was a necessity. ..unfortunatly. We would have been hunted for the rest of our days had we allowed him to live."

"He was your flesh... your blood..." Rufus said softly, staring down at the child that lay dead at his hand.

"Yes, he was. . .but he had been dead to me for many years already." His tone told of the regret of the fuedal laws that had brought them to this point in time.

"You don't... mourn his death?" Rufus questioned, starting to feel a tinge of shock touching the corners of his nerves.

Tseng turned. ..and when he did Rufus would see the beginnings of moisture at the corners of his eyes, set in a face schooled to be without emotion. He was quiet in his grief, as he was in most everything.

"I'm sorry... so very sorry," Rufus said softly, unable to take his eyes from the boy's corpse.

Tseng turned, leaning into him as he called the police. ..before calling the landline at the boys' condo.

"Hello?" Rude said sleepily, trying not to wake Reno up.

"Shion is. ..no longer a threat." His voice choked a bit as he informed Rude of this. . .a soft knock sounding over the line just then as the police arrived to remove the body.

Rude frowned. "Is he...?" he asked, already thinking he knew the answer.

"Yes. ..he is. ." He looked over the body of his son as the police zipped up the body bag, asking Rufus questions as to how the death had occured.

"How?" Rude's tone was even, and he could hear the slight changes in Tseng's that indicated the incident had happened rather recently.

"Shot. ..by Rufus. ." his voice hitched again but he held back the lump that threatened quite well.

Rude spoke quickly, but unhurriedly. "My apologies."

"It was. ..unavoidable. I thought you should know you have one less threat to watch your back against."

Rude kept his comment of 'about damn time' to himself. "Will you be returning to Wutai to bury him?" he asked.

"I will have to have the princess speak to her father to see if we will be given permission to bury him there, but she is an extraordinarily persuasive woman, so I am sure we will be."

"I see."

"I have to speak to the police. .. do be so kind as to inform Reno in the morning, if you will."

"I will. Again, my apologies, sir."

"Thank you." He hung up the phone as a youthful looking officer approached him to corroborate his story with Rufus'.

"Sir," the young officer nodded. "I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you would."

"Of course."

"What, exactly, transpired this evening?"

"He slipped in through our window. ..demanded we engage sexual activities while holding a dagger to my back. . .he was going to kill us both with a single dagger thrust at the moment of orgasm. ..in order to defend our lives, my husband reached underneath his bed, taking the shotgun he had there, and when he was able to, he fired one shot into the victim's chest."

"Did you feel there were no other alternatives to the death of the child?"

"There were none. ..he was. ..a highly trained ninja." what remained unspoken is that the child had been his son.

"Do you know why he would possibly have a grudge against you or Mr. ShinRa?"

Tseng looked down, then up. ..and the whole story spilled from his lips, holding nothing back. 


	56. Chapter 56

"I see," the young officer said, writing frantically on a small notepad.

Tseng shook his head then. watching as they took the body out. .he regretted, more than anything,not telling Shion he loved him at the moment of his death.

"We'll be in touch," the officer said, moving around the room to help out the other officers that had shown up.

Tseng leaned into Rufus now, watching the sun come up. ..wow. ..had this business actually taken the entire night?

Rufus sighed, his skin paler than usual and his eyes a little dim. "I'm sorry," he mumbled quietly, again.

"It is not your fault, it is the fault of the old ways. things must change"  
Rufus still felt terrible, even though he nodded in agreement with Tseng's words. How could the man forgive him that easily for taking the life of his only child? Mind you, Rufus was used to taking lives, but never that of a child, and certainly not that of his lover's child.  
"I do not hold any blame toward you, Dear Heart. ..he would have killed us both with no hesitation, then have gone after Reno and Rude and Rennan afterward." Tseng kissed the top of his head.

Rufus sighed, silently holding blame towards himself, regardless of whether Tseng did or not.

"Blaming yourself will do no good, either. You did what you had to do in order to save us all."

"That does not make it right," Rufus replied.

"It does however make it true"  
Rufus just sighed. He couldn't win, nor could he explain exactly why he felt so terrible about the circumstances.

"We should try to get a few hours of sleep. ..things may not exactly look BETTER after, but we at least be able to think more clearly."

With another sigh, Rufus nodded, moving slowly towards the bed.  
Tseng curled him up in his arms, holding him close as he dropped off.

Rufus just laid there, and whether his eyes were open or closed, his mind just kept replaying the moments surrounding Shion's death.

Tseng held him closer, kissing the back of his neck. "You must let it go, you must, or you will drive yourself as insane as your father was."

"He was a boy, Tseng. Just a boy..." Rufus' voice was soft and sounding far younger than his years.

"He was a boy, but he was also a ninja who had passed the trials. ..he knew either he was going to die or we were tonight. .and oddliy enough.. I think this is what he wanted."

"Had I been the son my father wanted..." Rufus started, leaving off what bothered him the most -- the fact that, to an extent, that could have been Rufus.

"Then we would not be having this conversation."

Rufus sighed. "I suppose not."

"Now sleep or must I drug your water?" Yes, Tseng had done that once when Rufus was a child still because he could not sleep.

"I am not a child," Rufus replied, sounding very much like one.

"You are a man who is tired, and thereby acting like a child, now relax." He began massaging Rufus' back gently, working the tight knots out of his muscles, aiming to relax him.

Rufus huffed, but that was quickly followed by a sigh as those skilled fingers worked at his tensest points. "I don't deserve this, Tseng."

"You do in my eyes. ..I love you."

Rufus closed his eyes and leaned back into Tseng's touch.

Tseng kept up the massage until he heard soft, even breathing before laying down himself.  
Rude was awake early, making breakfast for the three of them, knowing the smallest of their clan had school in... an hour. He knew that shortly after that, they were probably going to be called by either Tseng or Rufus to finish dealing with the Shion problem.

Reno was getting Rennan dressed for school, making sure his bookbag had everything in it.

Rude set the table, putting an omlette on each plate before going back to get the orange juice from the fridge.

Reno came in with Rennan close behind, sitting down. "Mornin' yo"  
"Morning," Rude replied, pouring himself and Reno a cup of coffee before sitting down himself. "Tseng or the President are supposed to call."

"Sounds important. ..somethin' happen last night?"

Rude glanced at Rennan, his eyes telling Reno he'd mention it after the boy went to school. "Just work," he replied.

Reno nodded, as soon as they 'd finished breakfast he strode out the door, saying "Hey, Rennan. ..how'd ya like to ride the motorcycle this morning to school?"

Rude frowned. Wasn't the boy a bit young for that? But he kept his opinion to himself.

The boy nodded excitedly, getting his bookbag, and the little helmet from the closet. Rude busied himself with cleaning up the breakfast dishes.

Reno came back in the house after dropping Rennan off. "The kids now think he is the epitome of cool. ..not only is his Daddy a Turk, but he has a what they called 'Bitchin' bike.'"

Rude raised an eyebrow, the gesture clearly meaning 'kids these days...'

"Anyway. ..what did happen last night? I could tell by your expression it musta been pretty serious"  
"Shion's dead," Rude said plainly.

If Reno's jaw could have dropped any further it would have taken out the kitchen tile. "Holy Shit. .."

"The President shot him."

OK, so maybe it COULD drop further. "Fuck. .."

"Exactly."

"I don't even wanna think what Tseng's goin' through right now. .shit. ."

"Or the President." Rude knew Rufus ShinRa would be taking his course of action hard.

"I hope this doesn't create a rift between them. ..'s'the last thing they need."

Rude's face clearly indicated that it was the last thing any of the Turks needed.

"I mean, I know Tseng wouldn't blame the boss, he knew what was gonna happen. .but the boss..he'd blame himself."

Rude sighed, reaching for his pack of cigarettes with a nod.  
Reno tracked down the half-crushed pack of newports in his coat pocket and headed out onto the porch, Livewire would need walking soon.

Rude's phone rang in his pocket, the tone the one he used for reminders. He opened the phone, reading the little note, then closed it with a sigh. "Hate to rain on the parade," he said, "But I need to be at the courthouse to sign the papers for Josh's institutionalization."

Reno sighed too. .he didn't want to be reminded of Josh.

"You don't have to come," Rude offered.

"Of course I want to...just. ..shit. ."he gestured to get what he wanted to get across. "Your needs are more important than my stupid grudge. ..and whether you say it or not. ..you need me as much as I do you."

"I think this could be good for all of us," he replied carefully.

"Stand as a united front. ..so he knows?"

Rude shook his head. "I said all of us. That includes Josh."

"Maybe. ."

"Let go of whatever bug has crawled up your ass. It's over between me and him, has been for a long time. But that doesn't mean I don't care, doesn't mean I don't want what's best for him."

"I think. ..part of it's we look so damn much alike. ..and for a while I wondered, ya know. ..part of it may also hafta do with the fact that he tried ta KILL me."

"He's a part of my life, Reno. You have to accept that." Rude had a feeling that if Reno couldn't deal with it, he'd have to leave the redhead behind every time he went to see Josh.

He just shook his head, his eyes shadowed. "I wish he weren't. ..I wish. ..you could just leave him behind. ..but I know how hard that is."

"I can't leave him behind just as much as you can't leave Rennan behind." It wasn't fair. It wasn't. Rude was expected to, and had, accepted Rennan as a part of Reno's life that he would have to deal with. Why couldn't Reno do the same?

Most of it was of course because Josh was his ex, not his son. ..and an ex who if he could kill Reno to take Rude back would do so in an instant,., but he wouldn't tell him that. He just nodded, sighing.. ..and said "Let's go" in a soft, slightly defeated tone. He knew Rude was right, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Rude sighed, his victory feeling less like a victory than a defeat. He grabbed his keys, intending to take the car there.

Reno wasn't sulking, not a bit. .more. .he was worried, he sat in the passenger seat, quietly looking out. . .He wondered if this would ever be truly over.

Rude parked the car, his look to Reno offering the redhead one last chance to turn back. Rude knew he didn't want to face Josh, and truthfully, Rude wasn't sure he wanted Reno to.

Reno however knew he HAD to eventually. .he got out, striding up next to Rude.

Rude strode right up to Josh and his lawyer, pulling out the power of attorney paperwork from inside his jacket pocket. "I'm here. What do I need to sign?"

Reno's eyes when they met Josh's showed no signs of any emotion whatsoever. He had learned control.

Josh's eyes seemed to not even see Reno, his face turning towards Rude's like flowers turn towards the sun. "Rudy," he said, his voice softer than normal.

Rude had been speaking to the lawyer, signing and initialling papers. He turned to Josh, his eyes occassionally darting towards Reno. "We're sending you to a nice place, Joshy. They're going to take care of you there, get you some help."

Reno's form was stiff, but he still refused to let much of anything show on his face.

"Will you come see me?" Josh asked, tilting his head to the side as if he were listening to words that only he could hear.

Rude paused, getting a good look at Josh's face. His pupils were dialated, a clear indicator that he'd already been sedated. "Every month," Rude replied with a tiny smile.

It was then that Reno realized he was no more threat. .. even if it still hurt that Rude had to let that insane bastard be part of his. ..no THEIR lives...he was no longer a threat.  
"That's good. You always were so good to me, Rudy," Josh mumbled, his lawyer indicating that he should go with the nice men in white coats that had arrived to take him to his new -- hopefully temporary -- home.

"I'll see you soon, Joshy," Rude said softly, waving as the man was lead out of the room.

Reno finally just leaned into Rude. . .he'd faced down the demon..and in his opnion he'd won.

Rude took a deep, shuddering breath. His throat felt tight. It had been hard basically committing Josh, but... it was what was best for his former lover.

Reno looked up at him, putting aside any anger he might have had and setting a hand on Rude's cheek. ..softly whispering he'd done the right thing.

Rude shook his head and turned to walk out the door.

A slightly hurt expression crossed Reno's face as he followed him out. his emotions were still fairly raw between his mother and the news about Shion and worrying about his boss and their supervisor. ..he hadn't been ready for Rude to turn his honest attempt at comfort away.

"He deserves better," Rude said once they got back in the car.

Reno had no answer to that. "how much of it is. ." He just trailed off, not sure how to phrase the question in a way that wouldn't piss Rude off. He wanted to know how much of the reluctance to let go was him blaming himself. .and how much of it was true lingering feelings

"I care about him, Reno. I care, but I'm with you." He hoped his words were enough... mostly because he wasn't sure how much of it was anything himself.  
Reno nodded. "'sjust. ..ya gotta realize. ..and I think parta what really has m'britches in a knot is it's not just part of YOUR life anymore. ..your life is intertwined with mine. .and now with Rennan's. .and I was not really consulted before all of this shit with Josh started. Yeah..I hid somea my past too. ..but I'm not bringing the boss in to be parta our lives in the same way. " he sighed. .it was hard to explain.

"I'm responsible for the state he's in, not you."

"But what effects you. ..effects us." THERE. ..that was what he'd been trying to say.

"I'm not having this arguement." Rude's tone was clear. "I have to do this, whether you like it or not. I give in on a lot of shit, Reno, but I can't give in on this. THIS is important to me, and I'm not giving in on it"  
He simply turns to the window, every line of his body showing just sheer hurt, a muttered "fine" under his breath.

"It will be," Rude said softly, pulling up to the condo. "You'll see."

Reno got out of the car, not another word spoken, it wasn't so much that he was angry, as much as it was hurt. ..Hell, if Rufus had been trying to kill Rude, he'd have kicked him to the curb the second it happened whether it had been his fault he'd gone nuts or not.

Rude was comfortable with silence; it was his nature, anyway. And regardless of how uncomfortable Reno tried to the make the silence, Rude just endured it. Reno would see, eventually, that Rude was right.

He didn't even say anything when he went to pick up Rennan from school, he was Hell. ..beyond hurt that he had been asked to accept this new wrinkle without even a by your leave...without Rude even acknowledging that he had a right to feel as he did on the matter at all.

Rude waited for the pair to return, morning's newspaper in hand as he sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

Reno returned with Rennan in hand, it was obvious he was trying to hide the release in tears he'd found on the way in. ..he wanted Rude to acknowledge that he had a right to not like the idea. ..then he'd rest a bit easier in the fact that it was what HAD to be.

Rude didn't know what Reno's problem was. He did what had to be done, and Reno was acting like Rude decided to go back to sleeping with Josh... which wasn't it at all. With a sigh, he figured it would all end up working itself out. Reno would get over the fact that Rude had responsibilities, and things would get back to normal.  
"You wanna know what it is? You just look at it as your responsibility. .without even acknowledging 'You know what, maybe my husband does have a right not to like this continued involvement with my ex.' Just a little acknowledgement of the fact that I DO have a right to feel that way might be nice, ya know."

"Whether you like it or not doesn't matter. It's the way it has to be." Rude spoke evenly, folding his paper carefully and setting it on the table.

"It DOES matter, I know it's the way it has ta be, but when you just brush off how I feel like it doesn't count. ..it fucking hurts."

"I'm not brushing you off," Rude protested.

"Feels like it." He slumped into the chair. "I haven't once heard from you 'You have the right to be upset. .. you have the right to not want him here.' I know he has to be part of our lives. . .I know that. .."

"I knew you were going to be mad, but I figured it was understood that it was all right to be upset," Rude replied.

"You see. . .that was all I wanted ta hear.. I need to hear it sometimes ya know. ." He looked up. ..some of the feelings of hurt beginning to fade.

Rude shrugged. "I thought it was understood."

"Just because I understood.. .doesn't mean I don't like to have it verbally acknowledged sometimes. " And with that he smiled a little, walking over to him and leaning on him.  
Rude visably relaxed, tension from dealing with a pissy Reno leaving his limbs.  
Yes, it's true that sometimes Rude did forget that Reno was more verbally oriented than he was, And that an occasional verbal acknowledgement was just the thing to diffuse misunderstandings of this sort,

"So... is it over? Are things going to go back to normal?" Rude asked, his tone clearly indicating that he was speaking of the hellaciousness of their past trials and tribulations.

"I sure as FUCK hope so. I don't think I could handle another year like this."

Rude sighed. "Good."

"We got Shion's funeral ta deal with. .but other than that. ..I think we're good."

Another, more contented sigh from Rude. "Good," he repeated, then paused. "You think Tseng's going to take him back to Wutai?"

"I'm pretty sure if he can get permission from Godo that he will."

"And that's unlikely. You know they hate each other."

"He'll use Yuffie as a go between, I'd think. Yuffie does like him, and she can pretty much convince Godo of anything."

Rude just chuckled, knowing how true that statement was.

Yuffie was at that very moment calling the Shinra home with good news.

Rufus was in the shower, hoping to wake up since he'd slept very little the night before.

"Hello?" Tseng's tired voice sounded over the line.

"Good news. . Dad is going to let you bring your son home and bury him on the island next to his mother."

"Thank you, YUffie."

Rufus came out of the bathroom wearing one fluffy white towel and using another to dry his hair. He looked at Tseng questioningly.

"Good news.. .of a sort. We can bury nmy son next to his mother within the temple grounds."

"That's good," Rufus said carefully. He still wasn't fully comfortable talking about what had happened.

"Whenever you are ready to go, we will do so. You may have the others accompany us, or not, it is your choice."

Rufus took a deep breath, exhaling through his nose. "I do believe they are due for a little vacation time, real vacation time, don't you, Tseng?"

"I am in definate agreement. .and Wutai is nice this time of year, though of course it is up to them as well."

"I was thinking time off with their son, without either of us around to annoy them," Rufus said softly.

Tseng nodded slowly now, "And I could use some with you."

Rufus took another deep breath. "I want you to know, Tseng, that I am sorry for what happened. I know I've apologized more than you think is enough, but it isn't enough for me."

"I know, Dear heart. ..I have forgiven you. ..so as Reno is so fond of saying it is time to forgive yourself."

"That will... take some time, I believe."

"For now. ..accept that I love you and hold you completely blameless."

Rufus sighed, then nodded. He couldn't really say anything more.

"Now. ..when do we wish to do this?"

"As soon as you would like," Rufus replied. He would indulge Tseng as much as he needed to.

"Traditionally, the body is to be cremated by the sun's fall on the second day on holy ground, and the urn interred on the spot of the cremation. .so we must leave very soon."

Rufus nodded. "Then make the nessissary arrangements, Tseng. I'll pack our things."

Tseng called in one of Reeve's pilots to fly them so that Reno could be home with his family. ..he truly deserved it and needed it. Very shortly there was a chopper waiting at the airstrip in midtown and a car out front.

Rufus packed their good suits, also packing Tseng's traditional outfit and some casual clothing. He pulled the suitcase out to the car, then sat in the back, waiting for the driver to put the suitcase in the trunk.

As the suitcases plopped into the back and the driver climbed into the car, Tseng began to feel the weight of his sorrow. He watched out the window as the nicer sector of Edge fell into the distance, then as they reached the chopper, watched the driver load their bags once more, he offered Rufus his hand after he had climbed in.

Rufus took the offered hand, nodding to the pilot once before they took off.

Tseng watched the Eastern Continant drop away underneath them, his thoughts deep. ..he was going home. ..back to a home he thought he would never see again.  
Rufus squeezed Tseng's hand, offering him a tiny smile when the elder man looked his way.

"I never imagined.. .when I returned into the capital city it would be under such circumstances. My mother's tiny mountain village is one thing. ..but the capital city. .I am not sure how things will go."

Rufus straightened his jacket. "Things will be fine."

"I am glad of your faith. ..it means much."

Rufus knew he was lying through his teeth. Though it had been some time since the war with Wutai, anti-ShinRa sentiment still ran free. Add to that the discovery that the last remaining ShinRa was not likely to produce a natural heir willingly... He was far more anxious than he let on.

Tseng had chosen to have the helicopter land outside the small village of da chao, named for the mountain on which it resided. He would pay a visiit to his own parents first, his father's new wife was one of those who adhered to Yuffie's beliefs with great enthusiasm, and he knew they would likely be treated well.

Rufus stepped onto Wutan soil with a slight bit of trepidition. He was unsure how far his name would go here, if it didn't instead get him lynched.

Tseng's father exited their small house with his new wife that he had taken after Tseng's mother had died during the Geostigma epidemic. the woman looked to be about half the elderly Wutain man's age.

Rufus had never met Tseng's parents, so he offered his hand to the elderly man.

"Is this the one Yuffie was so excited about. .a Shinra, son. ..I am. .somewhat surprised, but I cannot say I am that disappointed. .maybe this will light a fire underneath those Elders that should have been many years ago."

Tseng bowed respectfully to his father.  
"A pleasure to meet you, sir," Rufus said, his body bowing slightly as he shook the man's hand.

Tseng's eyes did widen just a bit in shock at his father's words. "Father I'd not known. .."

The older man smiled slightly. "That I did not hold with all of the traditions? I do not. Meylin here was not of the council's choosing."

Rufus raised an eyebrow, glancing between Tseng and his father.

"Welcome to my home, come in, come in. .it is not very big, but it is comfortable"  
"Thank you, sir," Rufus said with a tiny smile and a nod. He could see much of Tseng in his father.

"I taught my son to stand up for his own beliefs, I may not afgree with every decision he has made, but even so. ..they are his to make."

"You are very wise," Rufus said with a smile. "A trait you seem to have passed on to your son."

The tiny butterfly-like woman in the traditional kimono and obi bowed to them, then went to start supper.

"She's very quiet," Rufus noted, nodding at the woman. "Not at all like Yuffie."

"Meylin is a bit shy, but she holds to the belief that love is where one finds it. Now, Yuffie told me what has brought you here. .. I am so very sorry that circumstances brought things to this. It is, by the way NOT true that he was cast out. He CHOSE not to stay with us, instead going to Midgar."

Rufus frowned. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"He refused to stay with the parents of 'the one who soiled the family's honor.'"

"Who... who raised the boy?" Rufus asked, trying to get to the bottom of things.

"One of his mother's cousins. .a bitter, traditional old man. I believe one of your Turks knows him quite well, Chan Ma Gi."

Rufus frowned. He knew that name from a certain redhead's file. "I see," he said carefully. "Did he spend no time in his mother's care?"

"He was 3 when my son left Wutai. .his mother commited the traditional method of suicide when he left."

"If you do not mind me asking, sir... why?" Rufus inquired. While he was raised by his father alone, and what a mess THAT had been, he couldn't quite see how Shion had turned out so differently.

"His mother was weak of will, raised in the traditional wutain fashion. ..women are little more than childbearing vessels and property according to the feudal law."

Rufus sat back, his expression darkening. His father had said the same of his mother when he younger: that she was weak of will. So it was true; he really could have become Shion had he not had the guiding hand of the Turks in his youth.

Tseng draped his arms over Rufus' shoulder, his father would be able to see the gleam of the cord-carved band on his left ring finger.

"I was proud of my son for bucking the tradition and being true to himself, but I was not free to say so publicly."

"Your son is a very strong man, I can assure you, sir," Rufus said, his expression still holding that thoughtfulness.

"Which is why the two of you are so well-matched." Shion-wi turned then. "I have been impolite, I apologize. My name is Shion-wi Xiang."

Tseng would see the fractional wideninng around the ice-ble eyes and nod. "Yes. .I named him for my father."

"Rufus ShinRa," he replied with a nod. Then Rufus frowned. "I see," was all he could say to Tseng's words.

"Your name is well known here, as was your father's. . .yours much more favorably, I assure you."

"That is good to know," he replied.

Meylin came in to inform them dinner was prepared, and to remove their shoes and come eat.

Rufus nodded and smiled at the girl, doing as she asked before following her to the dining area.

The spread was wondrous, Drunken Noodles, Moo Goo Gai pan, Lo Mein, Rice, Honey Chicken, all prepared and served in the traditional manner, on a low table and mats.

Rufus sat on his feet at his place at the table. It had been a long, long time since he had dined in the traditional manner of his lover. "This looks lovely, Meylin," Rufus told the woman with a charming smile.

Meylin merely smiled shyly and bowed.

Rufus smiled back, his hand unconsciously reaching towards Tseng's under the table.

Tseng took it, but he did not hide the affectionate gesture. He was in some ways as in your face as Reno, only more quietly so.

As Rufus began eating, his mood seemed to get better. "Wow," he said after swallowing a particularly large bite of noodles. "This is incredible..."

Meylin actually blushed and whispered "Thank you, Shinra-san."

"Please, call me Rufus," he said with that every so charming smile.

"The service is to begin at sunrise, so my suggestion to you both would be to try to get some rest as soon as you have eaten and cleansed yourselves of the travel dirt."

"You are too kind, sir," Rufus said, bowing his head respectfully.

Shion-wi bows as well in the traditional manner and excuses himself from the table as Meylin begins clearing away the dishes and putting the rest of the food away.

Rufus stood, waiting for Tseng to lead them to where they would be sleeping.  
Tseng strode into his old bedroom, which had been left just as it had been when he'd left home to court and marry Ming Lei at the age of 20, with the futon-style full size bed and bamboo furniture.

Rufus let out a low whistle of appreciation. "This was your room?" he inquired.

He nodded, "Father made all of this furniture with his own hands."

Rufus nodded, gently touching some of the more intricate pieces around the room, as if he couldn't believe they were real. He had always grown up in a modern setting, with sharp edges and corners, stark colours and blacks and white with no greys.

Tseng had already removed the black suit and donned the traditional dressing gown that still rested within one of the dressers.

Rufus slowly undressed, keeping his eyes on Tseng as he got a tiny, seductive smile on his lips.  
Tseng then let down the topknot in which that dark, silken hair was normally kept, when he did, it flowed down to just past his shoulders in an ebon river. The dark eyes danced, just a bit "You know. ..I have never made love in my family's homme."

"Not even to your wife?" Rufus asked, sliding out of his shirt but leaving his pants on.

"She refused to come here. So no. ..this will be a first for me."

"And just how thin are these walls?" he inquired, toying with the fastener of his pants.

"Thick enough."

"Good." Rufus' smile was rather sexy as he let his pants fall to the floor, clearly showing that he was sans underwear. "Then I believe we have a bed to christen."

"I believe you're right." and Tseng literally picked him up and carried him into the bed, laying him down before dropping a blistering, toe-curling kiss on the blond.

Rufus made a pleased sound against Tseng's lips, his hands sliding over the man's skin in arousing patterns.

Tseng then began dropping those same steamy kisses down his neck, the lips tracing random patterns along his chest and belly as well, then down thighs, skirting his cock altogether while moving down those slender yet well-formed calves, before kissing up the other. ..finally, simply nosing at the erect flesh that awaited him.  
"Don't tease me tonight, Tseng," Rufus mumbled, squirming slightly as if trying to get the elder man to DO something.

Tseng finally engulfed that flesh in that warm mouth. .WHILE he prepared himself, a feat only his extraordinary flexibility would allow. . .He would allow Rufus to seek that pleasure tonihgt, and willingly so. As he lifted, that incredibly slender, yet well-muscled and tanned form sitting above Rufus for a moment, before he slid him home with only a soft moan.

Words left Rufus' mind, but only sounds left his mouth. "It has been..." he gasped. "... too long... since you've... let me take you..."

"This is. ..a symbol of what I feel for you, love." and his own speech fleeing as the nerves inside are brushed and set aflame. ..his muscles tensing at the sudden pleasure that shot through his nerves.

"You..." Rufus started, his words cut off with a gasp as his fingers tried frantically to reach for Tseng. "You spoil me..."

Tseng as his mouth worked soundlessly had forgotten how intense this could be. ..a single touch to himself, that silken river flowing down his back, dark eyes closing, breath coming in gasps, body stiffening, ancd with a hitching gasp he releases between them. .. holding onto Rufus and kissing him to swallow his cry.

Rufus' fingers clench on Tseng's thighs, holding the man there as he spilled himself within him.

And with that Tseng collapsed. . .holding Rufus close as he drfifted off. ..tomorrow would be busy. 


	57. Chapter 57

Rufus woke slowly, already knowing before he opened his eyes that Tseng would no longer be in the bed. The birds were already singing, a clear sign he had overslept.  
Tseng had the house filled with the smell of the cinnamon and ginger scented coffee that was so popular here, the scent of Meylin's breakfast eggs filling the house along with it, They had an hour to be at the gravesite, and he wanted both of them at their best.

The combining smells were heavenly, and had he the decorum of a certain redhead, he would certainly desire something more done with his morning erection. As it was, he stood, pulling on his robe as he slipped his bunny slippers over chilly toes before making his way towards the bathroom.

Which was why Tseng was already in said bathroom, waiting, those dark brows lofted just the slightest bit with his expression what for Tseng was teasing.

"Are you planning on christening the bathroom as well, Tseng?" Rufus asked, beginning to brush his teeth.  
"Perhaps. .I know you well. .you are as randy as Reno, even if you at more decorously than he does."

"Why Tseng. Perish the thought. I am no where near as insatiable as he is... but I am more refined about getting around it." Rufus winked, finishing with his teeth and turning to look at his lover.

Tseng chuckled, before sliding the robe down and pressing kisses to his back and the back of his neck.  
"However, my dear, dear Tseng, I'm beginning to wonder if YOU are as insatiable as he..." Rufus said, the words falling into a moan as the elder man's lips slid over a particularly nice spot.

"Perhaps. ..perhaps it's YOU who stir it in me, m'dear." He smiled as he bent Rufus over the bathroom counter, running his fingers over that shapely ass before sliding open a small drawer that held his stepmother's cosmetics, dipping his fingers into her pomade, it would work as well for what he had in mind as anything else. The cold, slick gel was slid over Rufus' entrence, then over himself as he continued to kiss his way down/

The chill of the pomade made him shiver almost as much as the sensations of Tseng's words did. "You make me feel like a child compared to you, sometimes," Rufus teased.  
"You are ten years younger." That smile was in his voice that was always there at times like this. as he slid first one finger in, then two, spreading and lubricating him until all resistance was gone before sliding in in one swift, smooth motion.

Rufus' head moved backwards quickly, exposing his neck as he gasped far louder than he intended.

"Remember. ..we must keep quiet. .you can do that, right?" Tseng's voice was playful, a bit teasing, before he nipped at the side of Rufus' throat.

Rufus nodded quickly, his hand going to his mouth so he could bite down on the fleshier part of it to use as a muffle.

Tseng began to move then, biting his lip to keep himself silent, so that the only sound in the room was the slap of flesh against flesh and the sounds of their own shivers, he made sure to aim to brush against that spot inside Rufus each time.

Rufus' whole body shuddered, his hips moving back to meet each of Tseng's thrusts. "Please," he managed to say around his makeshift gag. "Please..."

Tseng touched him then, driving deeper and harder, he could feel the serpent beginning to uncoil in the pit of his belly, but he held off for this one he loved as he stroked in time with thrusts that had begun to become almost savage.

A far louder than intended groan left Rufus' lips, and he bit down on his hand to stifle the even louder moan of pleasure as he spilled himself.  
Tseng gasped, just that slightest sighing sound of contentment as he filled Rufus to the brim almost. ..before stepping back on shaking legs and starting up the shower, he already had his traditional ceremonial garb out on the bed. "My father got a surprise for you as well."

Rufus' brow furrowed as he stepped into the water. "Oh? He didn't have to"  
"More than one, actually. ..he wishes to perform a traditional ceremony for us while we are here. With a special dispensation by the princess it will be legally binding, even. ..your holdings already are mine. ..the ceremony here. .will make it so my holdings are also yours." Tseng smiled, it had been the surprise he'd been keeping from his lover ever since he'd talked to Yuffie. "She wishes to light fires that should have been long ago, and most of the younger population agrees."

Rufus' mouth worked with no sounds coming out. Tseng had done it; Rufus was speechless.

Tseng simply smiled, kissing that wide open mouth before whispering "Come. ..we've showers to finish, and breakfast to eat before getting into the ceremonial garb, so we'd best get moving."

"I am not familiar with this aspect of Wutan tradition," Rufus mentioned, his tone indicating that he did NOT want to do anything that might cause disfavour towards Tseng or his family.

"It is also part of the culture that you bring dishonor upon yourself by refusing a gift. He does not much care about whether he is favored by the elders or not, his words, when I said as much to him were and I quote 'The elders can get blown.'" Tseng chuckled slightly as he cleansed himself.  
Rufus' jaw dropped. He could not imagine such a dignified looking man speaking in a manner more befitting Reno.

"That should tell you how he feels about what the elders and the old ways have done to this country."

Rufus cleared his throat, pulling himself back into his usual cool demeanour. "That it does, Tseng. That it does."

"So, what shall I tell him? He wishes to do it on the day before we return to Edge."

Rufus took a deep breath, then a smile slowly crossed his face. "How could I deny the father-in-law?"

Tseng smiled as well, striding out, the kimonos were white, with red. ..the traditional mourning colors in Wutai. White for new beginnings. ..for in Wutai they believed that death was just another step, another beginning. and red for luck.  
Rufus stepped carefully, taking a respectful position a step behind Tseng and to the side. The child was not his, but as the spouse of the man who's child had died, he had to show his respect. Regardless of how determined that child was to destroy him and Tseng.

Tseng helped Rufus into the kimono, dispensing with the traditional dress servents. Some traditions were a good thing, but that particular one was not one he adhered tpo.

"I still don't believe it right of me to be present here, being the one who brought about this circumstance," Rufus said softly. Guilty? Yes, he still felt guilty.

"You are my husband. ..and if Leviathan did not wish you here, some misfortune would have already befallen us."

"Don't tempt fate," Rufus warned, knowing full well what had happened to Reno and Rude when they had done just as much.

Tseng merely nodded, they had muffins and eggs for breakfast, Tseng taking great care not to soil his clothing, then drank his coffee, by the time they had finished the sun had just begun to peek over the horizon and it was time for them to go out to the temple.

Rufus took a deep breath, again taking his respectful position by Tseng's side. He nodded once to the elder man, an clear indication that he was as ready as he would ever be.

The small body was placed upon the ceremonial pyre already as they arrived, and Shion-wi took the first brand, lighting one section of the pyre, before handing it to Tseng.

Tseng lit a second portion, then nodded as he held the brand out to Rufus. .as the spouse of the child's father, tradition stated that Rufus, too, should be one of those to light the fires that would free the child's soul from his flesh so he could find the spirit realms.

A shuddering breath came from Rufus' lips as he slowly, very slowly, touched the torch to the kindling. The fire sparked up quickly, pulling a tiny gasp from the blonde, as if he expected the child to jump from behind the wall of flames and take both his and Tseng's lives.

Tseng quietly watched as the flames devoured his son's body. ..silent tears tracked down his face, though he did not seem to realize it as he began to chant the traditional hymn of the dead.

Rufus, unsure as to the proper-ness of doing so, carefully, discreetly, took Tseng's hand into his.

Tseng gripped the offered hand, as his father also took up the chant. Once the body had been fully devoured and the flames had died back, Meylin brought out a porcelin urn painted with cranes and other traditional images, and gave the couple each a pair of chopsticks, telling them they were to remove the bones first and place them into the first urn. Once the bones and teeth had been seperated from the ashes, another urn would brought out for the ashes to be swept into.

Rufus felt a little creeped out by the tradition, but stomached it nonetheless.

The two urns were then interred where the pyre had been, Tseng bowing in all four directions as an honor to the spirit of the one who had been interred there before whispering "Goodbye my son. ..I love you.. .I should have told you that sooner." He then strode back inside.

Rufus nodded once to the final resting place of the child, as if that could show his deep regret at the way things had turned out as well as his respect for those who had gone before. He turned slowly, following Tseng back inside just as slowly. It was... over.

Meanwhile, Reno was busy preparing for the Winter Festival and Shiva's Day, the tree had already been cut and set up, and he was currently outside standing on a ladder ATTEmPTING to affix a string of lights to the gutter and not having much luck, the suction cups the lights were packed with did NOT want to stick to the rainspout.  
Rude shook his head. He sat on the couch, keeping an eye on Rennan, who was watching some cartoon or another, reading the paper. He had a mug of the hot chocolate/coffee mixture his mother used to make with a candy cane sticking out of it for flavour. Reno had a similar one, but appearantly those lights were far more interesting that Rude's warming liquid. But that didn't bother the bald Turk. He had his newspaper, and he was happy.  
A yelp sounded from outside, and a loud crash, he HAD finally managed to get the lights to stick, but in doing so, he had overshifted his balance and the ladder had toppled backward, taking him with it. He waslaying on his back in the driveway, stunned, breath knocked out of him, and the ladder on top of him. He hadn't BROKEN anything this time as he had last year when he'd toppled OFF the ladder and broken his arm, however. ..he just cut a pitiful and somewhat hilarious figure.

Rude walked out the balcony, looking down at his redhead. "Problems?" he asked, taking a sip from his mug.

"Nope, just. .. could use a hand getting this damn thing off so I can get back inside. ..this ladder hates me, yo."

Rude chuckled, going back inside to pull on his shoes. He went outside without his coat, the chill not bothering him as much as it seemed to Reno.

"Come on," he said, helping to untangle the redhead from the ladder. "You break anything?"

"Only my pride this time, yo. ..I know, you didn't let me live downbreakin' my arm on the accursed thing all year after last year."

"You don't have to put them up yourself," Rude said, helping Reno back inside. He pointed him at the mug that was still steaming, waiting for the redhead.

"It's a tradition, put up the lights, fight with the ladder. ..kinda like screwin' in the mornin', ya know?" He took the mug appreciativly, sipping.

Rude gave Reno that look, glancing over to Rennan briefly before returning to looking at Reno with THAT look.

Reno blushed, yes, sometimes he forgot his mouth, but Rennan was so absorbed now inmn helping Livewire find all the ornaments he didn't even notice.

Rude refilled his own mug, smiling slightly as he took the first sip. "I can help you put the lights and tree up, you know. You don't have to do it yourself."

Rennan brought over a clay ornament now and he said "Papa. . .is this you?"

The photo inside showed a 4 year old boy sitting on the lap of a woman that from the back even you could tell was his mother, they were sitting at a baby grand piano exactly like the one that sat in their living room now. The boy's hair was cropped short in the photo, but ti was obvious who it was.

Rude raised an eyebrow as he took another sip. Best to let Reno field that one.

"Yeah. ..I've had this orrnament since I was 6 yeaars old. .It's gone everywhere with me. ..it goes right here. .." He placed it on the top branch, just beneath the star on top in the front.

Rude smiled, noting Reno's constant placement of the ornament every year in the same spot. Which was partly against his own tradition, one had had to give up recently. His special ornament, the one given him by his mother, was to be set at eye level by the child. However, once eye level for Rude became higher than the actual tree, he had to give up that tradition.

Reno's expression spoke a lot. His mother had helped him make that ornament, one in the shape of a star, and then had taken him to the pottery store to have it fired with bright red glaze the color of his hair. It was the last thing he really had from home, and he treasured it.

"I'm sure it means just as much to her," Rude said softly, pulling Reno close for a soft kiss.

"It's my first Winter Fastival with her. ." and he shook his head, the look on his face saying "Not gonna worry about, new traditions to make now."

Rude nodded, that soft smile on his face as he took another drink from his mug. He glanced over at Rennan, who was playing with a string of garland with Livewire. It felt very... warm. Comfortable. Homelike.  
Reno went over to the piano, beginning to play a few old holiday songs his mother had taught him. "When it snows.. remember you have family to warm your heart." was how one of them ended, and it made him probably hadn't know he could sing too, the voice actually surprisingly deep compared to his speaking voice and tuneful. "Wonder how Tseng n' the boss're doin?"

"How or what?" Rude asked with that tiny smile on his face that always looked mischevious... even when he wasn't trying to be.

"Prob'ly both." He grinned.

"Yeah, you're right," Rude said, sitting back down on the couch to watch both redheads and cuahl decorate -- or at least in the case of Livewire, attempt to decorate -- the tree.

When it was almost done, both of them came over with sly looks. ..they had a little bow-wrapped package. "'sfor you. ..go ahead n' opebn it."

Rude looked down at the package that looked tiny in his hands, then back up at the two smiling redheads. "Isn't it a little early...?" he prompted.

"Trust me, this one you wanna open now."

"Oh?" Rude asked, eyebrow quirked. Something was up; he could feel it. So, without further question, he did just as he was told, popping the tape on either side before barely tearing the paper while he opened the package.  
Inside was a beautiful gold picture frame ornament in the shape of two inconnected wedding bands, inside was the photo that Tifa had taken of he and Rude with ennan standing in between them. "Figured it was time we had onea our owbn family."

Rude's smile was soft and warm, much like the hot chocolate/coffee mixture he drank. He pulled both of them in for a brief hug before walking over to the tree, looking to find the perfect spot for the ornament.

Rennan practically glowed, then pointed out a spot that if you hung it the firelight would catch the gold in a way that it would gleam.

Rude grunted in affirmation, then gently placed the ornament on the tree, stepping back a few steps to look over the whole thing. "Perfect."

"It is, yo. ..Never thought after the year we had that we'd have somethin' this good, ya know."

"Tempting fate," Rude said carefully, picking up his mug and heading towards the kitchen for a refill, this time with a little aged, ultra smooth tequila in it.  
"Like I said, I don't gotta tempt fate, she hates me anyway."

"No she doesn't. She just can't resist temptation," Rude replied, smiling as the tequila warmed him as only tequila could.

"I manage ta get into the darndest situations even when I don't tempt her, 'swhy I say she hates me." He chuckled softly as the phone rang. Reno groaned. .. Somce the boss was in Wutai with Tseng it could only be ONE thing.

Rude hadn't mentioned the shot he'd taken BEFORE putting some tequila in his drink, but he was feeling mighty pleasant... especially since he hadn't ate yet that day. He nodded to Reno, indicating the redhead should answer it while Rude made a trip to the little Turks room.  
Reno after picking it up and listening to the man on the other hand CURSED loudly, the curse harsh enough and loud enough to tell Rude whatever the man had said was not pleasent. "Of course, just our luck he attacks a redheaded patient while we're getting the house ready for Winter Festival, GAH!"

Rude popped his head out the door, zipping up his pants with a look that asked Reno what was up.

"Your fucking ex attacked his room mate! they need you to go over there and give 'em permission to do anything necessary ta keep it from happenin' again."

Rude rolled his eyes, finishing up in the bathroom. He walked directly to the kitchen, taking another shot of the tequila before nodding too.

"I'll be back... unless you want to come. Don't think it's a good idea for someone though," he said, gesturing with his head towards Rennan.

"I'll stick here, yo. ..I've had enough of that fucking nutjob for this week."

"Language," Rude said out of habit.  
"With any luck he'll be killed by another o' the patients." Reno, bitter. ...nah.

"Reno," Rude scolded, more for his own sake than Reno's. He knew how his partner felt towards Josh... but that didn't mean he had to be mean. "I'll be back soon."

Josh when he arrived would be fighting the two orderlies who tried to get him into restraints like a tiger. ..oh, and yes, he felt about the same about being held down or restrained that Reno did.

"Josh," Rude said as he walked in the room where Josh was being restrained, his voice dropping into near harshness.

"They tried to room me with HIM. ..I told them what would happen. ." his voice was singsong. ..eyes glazed over.  
Scarily enough, the patient they wheeled out on a gurney DID look disturbingly like Reno. Not an exact match by any means, but close enough for someone in Josh's mental state to think it was.

"No, they didn't Joshy," Rude said, his tone getting softer as he spoke. "He's not here... he's not ever coming here..."

"I don't want HIM here...ever. Him or his bastard offspring. Only you, Rudy."

"He won't, Joshy, he won't," Rude said, his voice soothing.

"Sir, why were we not told he reacted violently to other redheads?"

"It should have been in his initial psych report from the courts," Rude said curiously.

"It was not. someone dropped the ball."

"So it seems," Rude said, turning back to Josh. He knelt down in front of the man restrained in a chair. "How are they treating you here, Joshy?" he asked.

"The food's good. . .We even got to decorate for Winter Festival." Those glassy eyes pinned Rude's. "I miss you Rudy. I never stopped loving you, you know." The tone was so sincered, even in his madness.  
"I know, Joshy, I know. And I really do care about you, too," he said carefully, then blinked. He looked up at the orderly. "What is he on?" he demanded.  
"Just the standard sedative used in violent patients, as well as antipsychotics."

That would explain the glassy eyes. "He was addicted to sedatives," Rude mentioned, since it seemed none of Josh's medical records got changed over to this place. He looked back at the redhead. "Are you going to be okay? I promise you he won't ever come here, so leave the other pretty redheads alone, okay?" There was that tiny, almost sad smile on his face.  
"I promise." He leaned in, kissing Rude.

Rude kissed back for just a moment, feeling guilty instantly for doing it. He pulled away, that tiny, sad smile still on his face. "Be good, Joshy. I'll be back to see you for the holiday."

Josh nodded as they led him back toward his room.

"Sir, I want your advice on how to restrain him when he gets violent. This is not the first time he has been violent with another patient, but it is the first time he has seriously injured one."

"The mild sedatives are fine, but don't keep him on them for too long," Rude said, waving slightly to the retreating redhead. "And if he gets too bad, call me and let me talk to him over the phone. If it's really bad, call me and I'll come here, but please don't let it get that far too much. My husband and he don't get along very well."

The doctor nodded. "I did get the report that said he was placed here for attempting to kill Mr Tarshil in a psychotic rage."

"Understatement of the century," Rude muttered. "Just... don't keep him roomed with anyone, if you can help it. Please."

"Yes sir. I wish I could give you better news, but the antipsychotic drugs don't seem to be doing very much good."

"He was... is a drug addict. I'm not surprised."

The doctor nodded one more time before going to finish his rounds.

Rude sighed, deciding it best to chew some gum before he got back home and Reno started questioning things. It was bad enough he had to go there, but to ruin the redhead's day by telling him he kissed Josh? Not on Rude's To Do list.

One particular painting in the patient lounge would likely catch his eye, it was done during art therapy, It was of a man with no face and red hair crucified, the face seemed to have been intentionally left blank.

Rude didn't have to ask; he knew who had done that painting... and he knew for sure why Reno never could step foot in that facility. "Jesus, Joshy... what happened to you...?" he asked softly, pulling up his coat collar and going into the windy cold.

Reno when he got back had just brought the mail in, several of them Winter Festival cards. Even one from Rude's family, he was smiling at the photo card Gladys had sent.

Rude came in the door just before the snow started to come down. He shivered for a moment -- while he preferred cool weather, he could still get cold -- before taking off his shoes and heading right back for the tequila.

"Hey, check this out, your family's already sent us Winter Fastival cards. ..an' I got a package o' tequila from your mom an' brother."

"Already?" Rude asked, taking a shot before going over and kissing Reno soundly.

Reno kissed back, he nodded, "Denzel came over, Rennan's playin' with him an' Livewire in the park."

"He's a good kid," Rude said, pulling Reno close.

"He is.. M'sorry for what I said earlier. ..I guess. . .parta it is he SCARES me. .I look at him. .an' I know if you an' Tseng hadn't found me when ya did...if I hadn't just decided I was gonna get brave and try ta pick his pocket. .that coulda been me"  
"It could," Rude wasn't about to lie. "But it wasn't. And... there's a reason he and I aren't together. You know that."

"I have somea his tendencies. ..the clingyness. ..though thank Shiva not to that extent." He was not about to lie to himself and say he was completely sane either.

"But you're not him... and that makes me... happy..." he said brokenly, as if trying to find just the correct words to say to describe his feelings.  
Reno nodded, he was still trying to come to terms with all of the insanity of the crisis which had placed Josh there.

"I think... it would be best if you didn't go there with me to visit him," Rude said, muscles tensing as he expected Reno to fly off the handle at that.

"I have to...if I don't he's gonna think I'm afraida him.. I have to, at least one more time. " Ok, maybe he was being paranoid, but just as Rude needed a sense of complete closure, so did he. "And I need to prove it for myse;lf. .you remember the pill incident. ..I've been thinkin' since I did that. ..about a lot."

"I don't think it would be best for him, Reno," Rude said plainly. "He can't be around another redhead without going nuts, even on the drugs. That and..." he paused, taking a deep breath. "The only way I could calm him down was to promise him that he'd never see you again"  
Reno sighed.. .shaking his head. "Shit.. ." He didn't get angry. ..or do anything besides that curse...he had thought so much about everything since the suicide attempt. ..but he had no idea how to articulate it, to get Rude to understand his NEED to put closure to that part of his life... and Josh had just denied him that.

"I'm sorry," Rude said softly, his gaze going to the floor.

"'snot your fault, yo. ..not really." his own voice was soft, he'd been doing so much thinking now that things were somewhat peaceful that sometimes he felt like his head was going to blow open.

"Doens't make it any better," Rude replied.

"Just. ..wanna get closure. ..I. ..I don't even understand it myself."

"I'm sorry. It's what I had to do." Rude felt more guilty about that than about the kiss.

"Nah. ..don' worry 'bout it now. ..not somethin' we c'n do anything about now, right?"

"Right," Rude sighed.

He kissed Rude deeply, closing his eyes."I love you...you're my white knight, yo. ..my port in the storm. ..you keep me from losin' m'self."

"You give me too much credit," Rude whispered against those soft lips.

"Sometimes I don't think I give ya enough." He smiled against Rude''s,

"Sure you do," Rude smiled. He pulled Reno's body against his, just holding him there and listening to the redhead breathe.

Reno listened to the sound of that heartbeat, so precious to him. ..thinking of how he'd almost lost it. ..and the one who bore it. ..forver. "I love you, yo. .and parta it. .I feel guilty because it was me he wanted dead.. .but you're the one who got hurt. ..just,. ..never leave me, please."

"Love you," Rude's voice rumbled in his chest before it left his lips. He pressed those lips to Reno's hair, inhaling the scent of him and smiling. 


	58. Chapter 58

When Reno looked back up, those iced jade orbs said he was thinking, something he hadn't done much before, but had been doing plenty of now.

Rude sighed, pressing another light kiss to Reno's forhead before asking. "What is it?" He knew there was something on Reno's mind, and if he didn't let the redhead say it, it was going to eat away at both of them.

"I'm gonna get hassle from the family now that they know about Rennan. .I just know it. Grandpa's gonna want to be in his life, and though I know no court in the world would give him visitation, I'd rather not even have the fuckin' hassle. Well, I'd hope they wouldn't anyway, even though he damn near got custody o' me before they deemed him too old." he shuddered slightly. "I'm starting to regret getting involved with my side of the family again." What he didn't say is that his grandfather had money and influence, much more than his father had had.  
Rude just sighed. What really could he do?

"I know, not much, huh?" Reno as always could read his thought from his body language. "Speaking of Rennan, here he comes now. .." He called out. "Bath and bed, Rennan, school tomorrow"  
Rude shook his head, heading back towards the couch. HE was not getting suckered into giving the bundle of energy a bath, nor was he getting suckered into trying to get the child to stay in bed. Boy needed to switch to decaf or something...

Rennan surprisingly didn't fuss, just getting in and bathing, Reno helping him into his jammies after.  
Rude muttered something under his breath that could have easily been a 'brat'... but instead he chose to step out to the balcony for a cigarette.

It wasn't long before Reno joined him. "Denzel an' Livewire musta tired him out."

Rude snorted good naturedly. "Takes a lot for that kid to get tired out."

"You still gotta go to Kalm tomorrow to pick up that stuff for Reeve?" it was all conversation, but he knew what day it was.

"Should take all morning and part of the afternoon," Rude replied.

Reno nodded, then smiled just the tiniest bit. ..perfect. ..just the time he needed.

Rude exhaled a ring of smoke, watching it rise in the holiday lit darkness. "The President wants me to check on the building's progress in the afternoon. Should take me at least until dinner, maybe later"  
"Yea, gotta take Livewire ta be neutered and declawed tomorrow . .Boss's orders.. .oughta be fun." He snorted.

"Busy day," Rude said softly, exhaling another smoke ring.

"Prob'ly should try ta get some sleep."

Rude grunted and nodded, flicking the last of his cigarette off the balcony before moving back inside.

Reno flicked his out, looking at all the lights a moment before stepping back inside. He remembered the first day they'd moved into the condo in midgar with the "Go away fags" having been burned into the yard and painted on their front door and sighed. He was glad things were different for the most part now.

Rude went about picking up stray bits of decoration, putting them in boxes and setting them aside. He picked up a few toys randomly scattered around, placing them in a pile with a tiny smile.

"Yeah, I know, he's messy. ..reminds me o'the day we moved into the place in midgar.. .'cause it was this date. .. 5 years ago. 'sfunny how much thingsa changed in five years"  
Rude paused, thinking before letting out a quiet, "Yeah." He found himself moving slowly, almost automatically as he went about turning off lights and putting dishes in the sink.

Even over this past year a lot had changed, in Reno's opinion mostly good changes. .it had been hard, but now, they were more comfortable being open with each other.  
Rude finished cleaning up, then went into the bedroom, fully intending to sort some laundry for Reno to do the next day before he flopped into bed.

Reno however when he reached the bedroom was spread out completely nude on the bed, looking like an angel, with champagne and candles next to him.

Rude raised an eyebrow as something else raised. "What's the occassion?" he asked.

"You forgot already? Since we're both gonna be busy all day tomorrow I figured. ..ya know do it a little early."

Rude mumbled, "I wanted to be busy for a reason." But he still smiled at Reno, stripping down to his boxers before climbing on the bed.

Reno popped the champage, though. ..then the little minx he was he waggled his brows at Rude before removing the boxers, then began slowly drizzling just enough of the champagne to make his skin tingle, licking it off as he did so. Arms, chest, legs, even his belly got the treatment, his tounge reaching into Rude's belly button where a fair amount got trapped. ..then a little got drizzled in that special spot before Reno took a little into his mouth and began going to town, his mouth working him very eagerly.

Rude squirmed as Reno's tongue lapped at his belly button; he was extremely ticklish there. The champagne was cold where it touched, sending up gooseflesh on his skin wherever it made contact.

Reno murmured "I love you" into the hardening shaft as he suckled, as the champagne warmed it would begin to send little tingles through, he licked at the head, wiggling the piercing which seemed to be a constant presence now.  
Rude wasn't sure what exactly had him wearing his piercing near constantly, but the way Reno's eyes still lit up just a little at the sight of it... that could be a small, itty bitty part of it. There was that, and the way Reno's tongue twitched over it just so, a delightful combination of what-the-fuck and pleasure. He moaned, his hands clenching slightly in the sheets under him.  
And then Reno deepthroated with his tounge still wrapped around it, tugging on it just the tiniest bit, something to drive the sanest man batshit with lust, then looked up at him with those eyes ever so teasing before lettiing go, getting up on his hands and knees and giving him that quirky grin.

Rude just looked down at Reno, waiting to see -- feel -- what the redhead would do next.

He took some of the champagne. ..preparing himself with it, moaning softly as he did. ..the bubbles tickling places he never dreamed could be. ..then literally hitched backward, guiding Rude with one hand while holding himself up with the other and shoved himself on. ..letting go a muffled hitching gasp.

There was a tiny bit of pain, and Rude could tell Reno had been hasty in his self-preparation. However, that was quickly drowned out with the gasp that fell from his lips, that noise that dropped into a moan that could have been Reno's name, or a plea to some deity or another, or any combination therein.  
Pain soon became pleasure, that piercing finding places it never had for all of the times they'd made love with it in. . .this position did incredible things as his knees wobbled, threateniing to give out, but he held on with a moaned. "Sweet fucking Shiva, Rude." as the larger man began moving behind him, both of them beginning to be carried aaway by instinct.

Words were not on Rude's list of important things at the moment, not that they usually were anyway. He was too caught up in the sensation of his partner around him, slight spasms pulling delicious feelings from his nerves that made him make noises he wasn't sure he was exactly capable of.

When Reno came it was explosively and with no touch up front whatsoever. ..that piercing against his sweet spot doing every single bit of the work, he bit his arm to hold back the scream that erupted from him as he spasmed against Rude in ways he'd not ever thought possible. "Happy birthday, my love" came from his lips.

It was as if something inside Reno reached into him and pulled his climax from him. Rude was surprised by both the strength and suddenness of it.

"Happy birthday" he whispered again as he almost fell into the bed. ..which Rude would suddenly note that he'd had a set of sheets over the normal ones with a rubber liner in between so all they'd have to do is strip the first set and the liner off before collapsing into sleep. Yes, Reno learned to keep effort to a minimum.  
Rude's tiny smile and brief kiss was his way of saying 'thank you.'

Reno gave a sleepy "you're welcome" and shooed Rude off the bed for a moment, stripping the dirty ones and the rubber liner off, tossing the sheets into the laundry basket and putting the liner up before collapsing back into the bed.  
Rude took a moment to wander towards the bathroom to clean himself off, but quickly returned to the bed. He let Reno curl against him, listening for the telltale sigh and shudder.

That twitch happened when he had stretched himself across the big chest, the sigh one of utter contentment.

Rude sighed as well, glancing out the window once before letting sleep claim him. Tomorrow was just another day; nothing special.

Reno woke up early enough to beat Rude to the kitchen, he made breakfast, the blueberry muffins with the sugar sprinkles on them he and Rude both loved, Eggs, bacon, juice, and he had even hauled the cappucino maker out of the boxes and had chocolate hazelnut mochas on the table.

Rude woke to the smell of breakfast, something he hadn't done since he was 10, living in his mother's house.

Rennan's nose told him the same, and he crawled out of bed at the same time as Rude.

Rude took a moment to stop in the bathroom for his morning routine, but it was shortened when he heard Rennan's loud 'good morning' yawn. He pulled on his boxers and padded towards the smell.

Reno had already showered and dressed in casual clothes, and when Rude came in, he'd see the wonderful spread, He would already have a plate set up for him, including one of those mochas.

Rude just raised an eyebrow, his expression clearly saying 'girl' as he sat down.

And this time Reno didn't mind a bit, after all, he was a decent cook and liked to indulge on occasion.

Rude set about eating, not knowing when he would have time again that day to stop and indulge in something as simple as consuming good food.

Reno as soon as he finished helped get Rennan ready for school, checking over his homework, the things he normally did in the morning, before getting the leash out of the closet and calling Livewire. "I'm takin' the sedan," He called back "But the Firaga and the bike are still here, the keys to the Firaga are up on the hook."

"I'll take the bike," Rude called back as he wandered into the bedroom to put on his suit.  
And with that Reno was out the door to take Rennan to school and Livewire to the vet. . .when he got back 2 hours later he had Tifa and Elena and Cid and Vincent with him to help him set up.

Rude was exhausted. It had taken far longer, what with Reeve's constant explaining of everything and the arrival of one Vincent Valentine who would NOT stop smirking at the bald Turk, than he originally planned. It was close to dinner and he was just then heading towards the new ShinRa building. He called Reno, knowing he was going to get an earful.

"Yo."

"You're gonna be pissed," Rude started, shutting off the bike just before he spoke.

"Nah, I had a feeling you'd be runnin' late, don't worry about it."

"I just got to the new building. Don't know how long I'll be," Rude said, still waiting for the earful he felt was coming.

Rude would only hear him talking to someone in the background when he said "Just be as quick as ya can, I'll make sure dinner's warm for ya."

Rude rolled his eyes. He had to do SOMETHING to get something out of the redhead. "Valentine gave me a blow job for my birthday," he tried, lying through his teeth and knowing that Reno would be able to hear that fact.

Reno snorted, he was in far too good a mood for Rude running a bit behind to bother him.

"Two blow jobs?" Rude tried, "And a reach around from Reeve?"

"Sh, right, now if Josh blew ya again I might believe it, but I know you're smart enough not to ever do that again."

"Give me something to work with, here," Rude asked, walking into the building and nodding to the hired doorman. He glanced around. The building was looking more and more completed each time he came into it.

"Oh, you'll have something when you get home. . ." He giggles over the phone.

"I'm sure I will," Rude said, his tone indicating that something else was demanding his attention. "Gotta go. See you when I get there."

"Allright." He turns to Tifa now who is setting up the bar. "'sgood he's late, took more time to set up than I expected."

It seemed to take forever, but finally, far, far later in the evening than Rude originally guessed, things are as straightened out as they were going to be until the President returned from his trip to Wutai. He glanced at his watch, showing 11:30 in the evening. He figured it would probably be better if he didn't call Reno, waited until he got home to hear the redhead's complaints about how long he had taken before just climbing into bed and going to sleep. It was all he really wanted after that long, dragging day, anyway.

Reno when Rude walked in looked more than a bit disappointed. ..all the planning was pretty much for naught. .but he did it anyway, the lights coming on, with he, Tifa, Cid, Vincent, Yuffie and even Cloud yelling out surprise.

Rude blinked at the bright lights, his eyes taking a little longer than usual to adjust due to his exhaustion. "What...?" he asked, then looked right at Reno. "Why didn't you call?"

"It was supposed ta be a surprise, yo. .."

"I AM surprised," Rude said softly. "But you could have called to have me come home sooner. I wouldn't have stayed to make sure everything was going to be fine in the morning as well if I'd known..."

"I. ..I just wanted to make this birthday special, and I was afraid if I called, you'd know somethin' was up and it'd spoil it." No, he was NOT going to tear up over this, uh uh.

"Every birthday with you is special," Rude said softly, pulling Reno close and speaking into the redhead's hair. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, yo. .we were gonna party the whole night through, Elena's got Rennan tonight. . ..but I'm bettin' you're too tired."

Rude's guilt came through in that tiny smile. "Just a little," he said softly. "But I can stay up a little later, if you'd like."

"We even got somethin' for ya. ..Tifa. ..sorta knows the drummer." and out of their bedroom came Flaming Meteor, the group they'd gone to see when they'd first gotten together.

Rude smiled, but in the back of his mind he wondered if he wasn't just a little old to have a punk band playing in his condo. That, and he really didn't care for any of their new stuff, since the band had sold out and all. However, he let none of that reach his face or eyes, instead smiling and pressing a kiss to Reno's nose. "What am I ever going to do with you?" he asked.

"Love me?" And he ground against Rude a little as they started playing "Closer."

"Something like that," Rude replied with a tiny smile.  
And Reno just siezed his mouth,not giving two shits about everyone else who's there, but then again Reno never had a problem with onlookers.

Rude, however, did. He pulled away slightly, his eyes telling Reno that he wasn't too terribly comfortable making out with all those people around them, especially since he knew full well where that making out would lead.

Reno nodded, then just started dancing.

Rude tried, he really truly did, to keep up with Reno, but he was just too damn tired. After a few songs, he excused himself to head over to the bar, hoping a drink would help wake him up.

Reno at around 1 whispered at people that it was time to head home and sat at the kitchen counter next to Rude, they were both drinking a couple of Grasshoppers as Tifa got the rest of the bar junk cleared away..

To say Rude was sloshed would be an understatement. He truly hadn't had a bite to eat -- other than a sandwich -- since breakfast, and all the alcohol was being absorbed directly in his stomach.

Reno just kissed him, he'd be polite enough not to try to get into his pants tonight, instead he helped get him undressed, and into bed, and then curled up against him. "Thank you. ..for letting me do this tonight even though you're tired. means a lot."

"'Sokay," Rude said, smiling at the way Reno was pressed up against him.

Meanwhile, Tseng was helping his father set up, he could hear Rufus outside pacing in the hallway, nervous, incredibly so.

Rufus' steps were far louder than he wanted as he paced back and forth through the hallway. This was crazy. Why was he doing this? He was going to mess things up entirely and make a total ass of himself and his name.

Tseng had complete faith that he would not, he'd spent the last two days drilling Rufus in the ceremony until he was able to perform the 9 Cups ceremony more smoothly than Tseng himself was.

Which didn't make Rufus worry any less. In fact, it made him worry more. He was so nervous that he'd almost made himself a very unhappy man while zipping up his pants that morning.

Then it was time, The dressers came to take Rufus back to put him in the kimono, and when they were done escorted him into the temple anteroom helping him kneel as the priest spoke the ceremonial vows, then the cups were placed out. Tseng took three sips off the first, then passed it to Rufus, indicating he was to do the same. ..obsidian never left blue the entire time.

Rufus' hands shook as he took the cups, but he managed to not spill a drop. Point for ShinRa.

Once that was done, Tseng's father came, and bound their wrists with a silk cord, and after a few more ceremonial words in Wutain he spoke to all present, even Yuffie was there. "I now declare, in the presence of all here, that these two are bound for life and beyond, In the eyes of Leviathan and all of the Gods, their lives are now forever bound. What one owns, so too does the other."

Rufus let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. It was... done. And he didn't screw up.

Tseng could hear several of the elders present talking, some of them in low, harsh tones, but at the moment he could care less.

Rufus smiled, his eyes asking Tseng if it was acceptable to kiss him now.

Tseng answered that with a deep, toe-curling kiss that left the elders murmuring in even darker tones, while Shion-wi was grinning ear to ear.

"Not exactly what I had in mind," Rufus said quietly with a tiny smile on his face.

One of the elders walks up to Shion-wi now, and he asks "Yes, how may I help you"  
"We do not approve," the man said clearly.

"I know, and that is the point. It is time that some of the traditions were discarded. ..we have a dispensation from the princess, whether you approve or not is ir relevant,"

"It does not change the fact that we, as well as others, do not approve."

"If change is not made, our nation will die. Some traditions are good. This law against one committing to another because both of them happen to be of the same gender is a bad one."

"Who are you to make decisions for all the people of Wutai? You must take into consideration the choices of those who also oppose your change, Shion-wi."

"I have heard all of those who support the princess speak, and it is more people than you believe"  
"But you are deaf to those who oppose."

"Those who are in opposition are older ones such as you. Ones who would see those like my son whose only crime was being true to his own heart cast out. ..executed. ..his child abandoned because he was not permitted to claim him."

"Yet still our cries to be heard fall on deaf ears. You are so caught up in your ideals that you do not hear the cries of the many other who would oppose you."

"They oppose change out of fear My son is a human being. ..ShinRa. ..is a human being with feellings and regrets like any of us. I have seen the regret for the events which led to their jourmey here.."

"Their reasons for opposing change are irrelevant. The fact that we have heard your words yet you refuse to hear ours, however, is not."

"Then speak. ..why is it you oppose the joining of two who quite obviously love one another?"

"Because were everyone to do it, there would be an end to children."

"Not everyone wishes to, besides which there aremillions of children abandoned just as my grandson was that such couples would be glad to take in. "

Tseng spoke up quietly "As my employee Elena HAS done."

"We still do not accept this." With that, the man turned and hobbled away, having said his peace.

Tseng sighed, shaking his head "Change will be slow, but it will come."

"We cannot force change. We have tried in the past... and failed," Rufus said quietly.

"Once the older generation has died, it will sweep over Wutai like a tide."

Rufus kept his questioning opinion inside. He knew that there was nothing wrong with what they were doing, but he was also very aware that there were more than plenty of people opposed to it... some even of the newest generation.

"Now, we should get packing, it will soon be time for us to return home."

Rufus nodded, bowing deeply to his father in law.

Shion-wi bowed in return and smiled.

Reno when he awakened did so slowly and with a pounding headache. "Ugh, yo. . .nasty hangover."

Reno's words fell on deaf ears. Rude was out cold. Still.

So he got up, wobbling to thwe bathroom to do his business, then started a pot of coffee. ..He ordered out for breakfast, he HURT too much to cook, his body completly sore.

Rude was still asleep, a snore coming loudly from his lips as he rolled over into Reno's warm spot.  
Finally he brought a cup of coffee into the room, giving Rude a slow, leisurly kiss annd hoping he wasn't getting sick, which after that party last night would be just his luck.

Rude opened his mouth and yawned just as Reno was leaning in for a kiss, making the redhead's noise drop right into his partner's mouth... something which woke him up instantly. Rude pulled back a little and asked, "What are you doing"  
"Mornin' sunshine. .. just a good morning kiss.. .fuckin' hung over n' sore, but figured I'd wake ya up pleaeasnt.

Rude smiled, then that smile turned mischevious. "Must be morning," he mumbled, turning his head so as to not breathe Reno's breath. After a long night of drinking, hangover breath was the WORST.

Reno blushed, and popped one of his breath strips "Sorry, yo."

Rude just shook his head good naturedly, indicating with a nod that he needed to head to the bathroom.  
Reno got up, noting the muscle stiffness and shook his head, last time he'd gotten sick, as in genuine illness and not some misfortune from Josh or the sort, he'd been in bed for three days and sore and feverish for a week after that. When he did manage to catch something it was normally from being utterly run down and typically after a nasty night of drinking, just like last night. He simply shook his head and headed down for breakfast.  
Rude went about his morning routine, even catching a quick, Reno-less shower before he dressed casually and went towards the kitchen for breakfast himself.

Reno did not realize he looked a wreck, instead, he went about setting out the just-delivered breakfast and making himself a plate. "Mornin', yo, get yourself some coffee."

Rude nodded, finally, after a few moments, mentioning that, "You look like shit."

"Yeah, feel it too, yo."

"Coming down with something?" Rude asked, reaching into the fridge for some orange juice.

"Maybe, 'sthe timea year for it. . ." He just ate what of his breakfast he felt like and sipped his coffee. "I gotta go pick up the boss and Tseng, they're gettin'' back later this moorning."

"I can get it. You get some sleep," Rude said, standing to take the breakfast dishes back to the sink.

He nodded, heading back into the room, then went through the mail again, frowning a bit. "Here, this is yours, 'sfrom Josh." His voice was toneless as he handed Rude the somewhat heavy package.

Rude sighed, deciding to open the package later, after he picked up the President and Tseng. "When are they arriving?" he asked Reno.

"11." With that he went, took a quick shower, and headed back to bed to sleep off the funk.

Rude nodded, noticing that he could be ready and out the door by 10, giving him an hour or so possibly at the gym before picking the pair up from their Wutan trip.

Livewire, surprisingly, didn't come out for breakfast, showing his loyalty for his master by laying at the foot of the bed, curled around his feet. The cat had blossomed under Reno's care, just as Rennan had. There was just some indefinable quality about the Turk that most thought a heartless butcher that drew people and animals both to him and inspired unflagging loyalty.

Rude went about putting on his suit, getting ready to go after a quick trip downstairs to the gym. He arrived at to pick up Tseng and the President at 11 sharp.  
"Good morning, Rude, I had expected Reno, where is he?" Tseng lofted a slightly questioning brow.

"Coming down with something, sir."

"Oh, and happy birthday." Tseng was leaning against Rufus and he smiled a bit.

"Thank you, sir," Rude replied, holding open the car door for Tseng and Rufus.

Tseng as the trunk was popped lifted their bags out, heading inside with them, and as he did he noted the packkage on the seat. "So he's sending you gifts now?"

"I guess," Rude replied, not really wanting to talk about it.

"That is not a good sign, so I must say I am glad he is where he can no longer do you and yours any harm." And with that he heads into the house with the bags.

"Are you two well? Do you require any more of my assistance?" Rude inquired, wanting nothing more than to curl up at home with a newspaper, some coffee, and a good ball game.

"No, no thank you." 


	59. Chapter 59

"Then I'll let you two unpack and get settled," Rude replied with a nod.

When he got back, Rennan would be sitting at the table with Elena doing his homework. . .rare occurance, Reno ususally helped him eith it.

"Where's Reno?" he asked the pair, realizing that he'd left Josh's box in the car when he came up from the garage.

"Bedroom, he's been asleep since we got here, so naturally I stayed until you got home."

"Thanks," Rude replied, making his way into the bedroom quietly.

Reno's forehead was damn near hot enough to fry an egg on, even the last time when he'd been in bed for three days he hadn't been this hot.

Rude's motions were quick and efficient. He drew a bath, keeping the temperature just below normal body temperature to start, so as to not shock the redhead's system. He carefully carried Reno into the bathroom and set him in the water, holding him up so he wouldn't fall asleep and drown.

The cold water roused him a bit though his words were muffled "How'd I get here? m'cold. .."

"You're burning up."

He nodded, his eyes sliding closed before whispering "Haven't felt like this since I got bit by that Zolom back in training." His throat was parched, voice rough. Something Rude would likely remember, he and Tseng had gotten chewed a new one by a then 18 year old Rufus over letting his lover get injured.

"When was the last time you were bit by anything?" Rude inquired, feeling the water and trying to decide if he should empty the tub and draw another bath for the redhead.

He shook his head, he hadn't been though Rude would remember he'd been so sensitized to the venom by then that if his skin came into contact with it or anything that it was used in processing of, it made him sick. There was one of the antidepressents he'd had to be taken off once because it had given him this same reaction.

"You think it's allergic?" Rude asked, "You need to go to the hospital?"

"m'okay for now. ." He leaned into Rude. ..Rude would have to drag his half-dead body into the place , he would not go back willingly.  
Elena popped her head in. "There was a fine white residue in a square shape on the table. ..Rennan mentioned you'd gotten a package from the institution in yesterday's mail. .you know he reacts to anything that has Zolom venom in it. .you may want to have that residue analyzed just in case."

Considering just how half-dead Reno was acting, Rude felt it prudent to take him to the hospital anyway. "Could you keep an eye on Rennan, please? I'm taking him whether he likes it or not," he asked Elena.

"Sure thing," she turned around and saw Rennan was in the door, holding up a little baggie. "I got this together, Auntie 'Lena. "

"Thanks," Rude nodded, going about packing a bag for both he and Reno. He carefully got the redhead out of the tub, drying him thoroughly. He dressed him lightly, then made his way to the car, ignoring any protest the slighter man might give.

Reno did protest "Don't wanna go. ..if I never see a mint green wall again the resta my life it'll be too soon."

Rude didn't say a word in return, just moved the damn box Josh had sent to the back seat, placing Reno on the front seat and taking off quickly for the emergency room.

Of course he knew why Rude was being this cautious, the incident with the anti-depressent had been a very close one, and he himself was beginning to wonder if the powder residue on the box was a coincidance.

Rude shook his head, as if he read Reno's mind. "They use a chemical powder with Zolom's venom in it to test for contagious diseases on suspicious packages nowadays. You can't get away from the shit."

"So I noticed. .feel like. .." and he stuck his head out the window, the retch making it feel like his stomach was turning inside out. "Ugh."

Rude didn't say a word, only pulled up to the emergency room door and parked the car.  
The doctor who came out with gurney shook his head with a bit of a frown. His face said "At least it's not an injury this time." as the little redhead was loaded up.

Reno frowned the whole time, the bath had made him a bit more lucid, and he was NOT happy about being here.

Rude, however, since Reno was in the capable hands of the doctor, he chose to park the car and find out just what was in that package from Josh.

When he opened it up there would be a dvd and one of those small travel DVD systems in it.

Rude rolled his eyes, his expression a clear 'what now'  
He'd also see a little note in the bottom and when he opened it up it would say "So you'll never forget. ..by the way, how is the competition?" When he turned the player on it would be the DVD another of the kids had made with the camera that records straight to DVD, it was he and Rude clowning that one day at the park, him up on Rude's shoulders, the big bald man laughing and smiling.

Rude watched the whole disk, all the way until an image of he and Josh, the young redhead pushed against a tree while an equally young Rude was devouring his partner's mouth. The voice behind the camera mentioned, "Better shut this off before Rudy gets pissed an kills someone for it." It reminded Rude of what had gone on that day. He and Josh had left the others, going into the forest trails by the park to avoid having an audience. Josh had demanded Rude take him, holding up a tube of perscription strength mako-laced gel which he had prepared himself with earlier that afternoon. They had spent over five hours in those woods, Rude buried to the hilt inside Josh.  
The rest of the note read. "I could be that man for you again, Rudy. ..get you away from the responsibilities which frighten you so much. I know you never were one for responsibility."

If the words did not ring so true with his current state, he wouldn't be sitting in the car, his lover -- no, husband -- in the emergency room, wanting to pleasure himself to this video.

"Just let him go. ..let him go into the good night, Rudy" It would seem his voice rang in the bald man's ears "I'll still be here. ..I'l always be here for you."

Rude couldn't stop himself, regardless of how guilty he knew he was going to feel afterwards. He set the player on the dash, fast-forwarding it to the part where he and Josh were making out. His hand slid into his pants, where his hardness was already waiting for a touch. When he spilled himself moments later into a random napkin from a random fast food place, the guilt hit like a brick wall.

It seemed Josh's voice would echo again. " He doesn't deserve you, Rudy." before a doctor came out, looking for him, had a sheet of paper in his hand.

"I don't deserve him," Rude replied softly to the voice in his head. He quickly tucked himself back away, stepping from the car as if nothing were wrong to meet the doctor.

"Sir, the baggie you gave us contained a potent antipsychotic. It was the combination of the zolom venom used in the processing of the medication that caused the reaction, but the other main ingrediant in it is known to make the reaction worse. "  
Something of course with Josh's extensive knowledge in chemistry, something picked up from years of drug manufacture, he would know.

"Why am I not surprised?" Rude sighed, his hand going to rake through non-existent hair. "How is he doing?"

"Still feverish, but responding to the medications, he should be ready to go home by the evening if he continues to respond favorably."

"Good," Rude said quietly. "Is he awake?" Rude certainly hoped not, just so he would have time to wash the guilt from himself.

"No sir, he had to be sedated, he had a sudden rise in his body tempertature and began tearing his iv lines out." The doctor's tone said he'd had enough experience with Reno as a patient to know his feelings on needles.

"I see." Rude's tone held a tiny hint of relief in it. "Would you mind if I went to his room to borrow the shower? It's been a long day already."

"Certainly sir, I'm sure he'd like it if you were there when the sedative wears off. ..he asked where you were."

Rude nodded, indicating that he would follow the doctor to his partner's room.

The doctor led him back, Reno looked for all the world as if he was simply sleeping...as if he hadn't had yet another brush with death at the hands of his husband's psychotic ex. His face held a bit more color than usual, but that was more than likely just the fever.

Rude shook his head, the guilt settling in fully as he moved towards the bathroom, fully intending to take a shower.

Reno of course when he woke up would likely ask him why the HELL he didn't just kick the bastard to the curb, even though he knew the answer. For a man who said he didn't want any responsibility, he took his to Josh pretty damn seriously.

"Hey," Rude said, smiling at Reno as he put down his paper.

"hey. ..I feel a little more lucid. ..bastard called you, by the way, left a message. I know it was him from the number on the phone."

"He's not allowed phone privlidges," Rude mentioned, his face curious. "Did you listen?"

"Yeah. ..asked how you liked the gift."

Rude sighed. "It was just a video of... old times."

Reno snorted, then looked away. "Did you like it?"

"Brought back some memories of some of the better times we had," Rude replied, feeling that was safe enough.

"Fucking hate him.. I know why you'd want it, though. .no responsibilities, no kid and pet to worry after. .just sex, drugs, sleep, more sex. ..I used to like that too, until it just started feelin' empty.".

"Memories are nice, but they're just that, Reno," Rude said, his tone indicating that he was a little hurt by Reno's words.

Reno winced, he knew he'd hit a nerve. "m'sorry. ..m'not thinking straight, probably haven't been since I found out about Josh. M'just tired of his shit. What, are they going to have to take away his mailing priviledges before we have some damn peace?"

"It's already being taken care of," Rude said. He had asked the doctor to call the home in his stead to report what Josh had done.

"Good. .question is.. .how'd he get into the database to KNOW about my sensitivity to it? I think it's time we upped our network security." Reno, of course, being the resident security expert, knew he'd be given that job, in fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Rufus called him to make sure the back doors were shut the second he got home.

"With all the trouble lately, things have gotten lax. It was why I had to visit the building yesterday."

"Yeah, you're the pyhysical security expert, I'm the expert in making sure the computer network's secure. 'swhy they partnered us the first time, each having skills the other doesn't." He chuckled. " If ya get my laptop I can get ta work trying to patch up some of those holes from the wireless network."

"Not until you're better," Rude said, knowing that Reno could be a worse workaholic than Rude sometimes.

Reno pouted a bit but nodded, he knew Rude knew he got into at it times, though in this case it was just him wanting to be completely safe. Sure, the knowledge was dangerous in Josh's hands, but if it ever got into the hands of someone who was like Krastof and had a grudge against him personally or against ShinRa as a whole it would be deadly.

Rude nodded back, acknowledging Reno's agreement. "They said you should be well enough to leave this evening. No overnight stay."

"Thank God. .hate these fuckin' green walls."

"I know."

With that he leaned back, figuring if he slept his way through he wouldn't be so damn bored.

Rude sighed, taking his paper back in hand.

When evening came and the paperwork arrived Reno was still sleeping, he looked LOADS better than he had when he'd arrived,.

Rude finished signing what paperwork he could. He gently shook Reno, calling his name softly to wake him.

"Hmm. . .was havin' the nicest dream. ..we were drinkin' pina coladas on a beach an' you were. ." and he suddenly realized where he was, and who else was there, blushed a little and signed the rest.

"I was what?" Rude asked, his breath soft against Reno's ear.

He whispered into Rude's ear. "You were makin' me screech your name right there, half in the water an' half out."

"Might have to do that," Rude said with a tiny smile, stepping back to let Reno out of the bed.

He stood, a shade wobbly, but he was up, "After I get that damn network secure."

"We'll see," Rude teased, helping Reno regain his balance.

Reno quirked a brow, and as they reached the car gave him a slightly disconcerted look before asking in regard to the dvd player and disc "Ya mind if I get ridda these my way?"

Rude sighed, then turned his head away as he nodded.

Reno removed them from the car, then taking his spare emr from the backseat he beat the hell out of them, finally sending a pulse of electricity through them. "Better, much better."

Rude had kept his face turned from the scene the entire time, his own memory providing more than what the video ever could.

It finally went up with a rather satisfying "boom" and he got into the car.

"Home?" Rude asked, hoping that's where they were heading.

"Yeah, I can do what I gotta from the desktop at the house."

Rude nodded, driving towards their condo without another word.

Reno when they walked in the door as he'd suspected had a message on the machine indicating the breakin in their network, but it hadn't been just his medical records that had been downloaded. ..indicating it was far bigger than Josh, or Krastof, or Shion. .the floorplan for the new building had also been downloaded.

Rude peered over Reno's shoulder. Everything, every single minute detail, had been copied and downloaded by an unknown user.

"Do you know if Krastof was top dog? Or was there someone higher?"

"He was it," Rude said plainly, trying to figure out who would want all that information about them.

"Maybe onea the older kids took over. ..Barons HATED ShinRa, still do, partly over the plate. ..an' partly over the fact that onea us got away and is now workin' for 'em"  
"None of them were smart enough for this," Rude protested.

"You thought I wasn't smart enough for somea the stuff I've managed, either. ..'spossible. ..'spossible they have backing from elsewhere."

"Who would do it?" he asked. "Who would have something to gain from this?"

"That's the question. ..who has reason not to like Shinra at the moment? Who has reason to want Shinra to fall right now?"

"ShinRa doesn't have the best name right now, but the President is starting to garner support again"  
"Except among one particular place. . .and they would have the resources to convince what is left of the Barons to help. . .And they'd have reason, good reason. . .they lost their asassin becausea the boss."

"Wutai will never support ShinRa again without another war bringing them into submission."

"Well, until the princess comes inta power, anyway. ..and even then 'sgonna be a fight. 'Sparta the reason they opposed Tseng marrying the boss in the first place. ..because he's technically the princess's family now and they can't move against him directly without garnering disfavor among those who support her."

"Wutai's a proud nation. Even Yuffie will have a hard time getting things moving the way she wants," Rude pointed out.

"Like I said, even then ''sgonna be a fight, but she's got a lotta supporters."

"That still doesn't tell us who would want all that information about us," Rude said. They had even gotten into his full arrest record, including his charges while he was a minor.

"I think it's obvious. ..if the plot they have involving the building plans fail. ..they'll try ta discredit us. ..Tseng's Yuffie's cousin, they can't act against us directly because she does have supporters. .if she didn't have the support of anyone below the age of say 40 they wouldn't be using Krastof's castoff kids to do their work. It's those who don't want the changes doin' this."

"Which still doesn't tell us why."

"They figure if they can bring down Shinra. ..They'll discredit Tseng, and in doing either discredit or cow Yuffie. ..therefor, no changes."

"What good would that do them?" Rude asked rhetorically, even though he knew Reno would probably answer.

"They want to preserve the old ways. .what they don't realize. ..is change is gonna come whether they like it or not. You can't hold back the tides of change forever."

Rude shook his head for no real reason at all. "So... what are we going to do? We can't just rebuild the whole damn building. The President just couldn't DO that right now... And even if we found whoever did this, who's to say the information hasn't already gone out to who knows who."

"We cut the head off. ..once we remove the head from the body, the animal dies, right?"

"Or like the hydra two come to take its place," Rude said carefully. He was well aware of how some of the gangs worked, where once the leader was gone, either the gang disbanded or a different leader, sometimes two or more, took the previous one's place.

"I meant take down the ones we know are behind it. ..we know the elders who are resisting change are the ones behind it. ... you find a way to take them out of power. ..the gangs will disperse. They won't have the funding OR the influence necessary, or the brains for that matter, to be anything more than a nuisance."

"You can't be serious," Rude said, his eyes wide. "You can't just take out the Elders of Wutai and expect the world not to notice... or even more ridiculous, accept it. It will be seen as a declaration of war, Reno, be it in Godo's eyes or the rest of the world's."

"I didn't say it'd be easy. ..but isn't that what they're doing? Declaring war on us pretty much? If the world discovered what we just have. ..maybe. .maybe they should. It'd take some sneaky shit on my part. "  
"No, no it's not what they're doing to 'us'." Rude's tone was rising as he spoke. "What happened with Tseng's boy was a personal vendetta. What happened with Josh is a PERSONAL matter. What happened with everything is a fucking PERSONAL matter. The fact that they all coincide is just a coincidence." Rude took a single, sharp intake of breath before continuing. "And if YOU were to do something so STUPID as to attack one of them openly, it would be considered the beginning of a war ShinRa CAN'T win this time."

"Taking out everything we worked for is more than a personal fucking vendetta. ..look at the points they have outlined." He had found a way to break into the mainframe and close it back behind him with none the wiser, he pointed out the plans that had gone with the schematic,, with support points of the building highlighted, and dates. "They are going to have it taken down in the MIDDLE of winter festival. ..do you know how many people that would kill if they aren't stopped. Now, it's only initials on the plans, but this is from the mainframe in Wutai's capital!" He sighed. .."Tell me it's just a personal vendetta. ."

"I will NOT help you wage a personal war against the entire, might I mention, SOVERGN Nation of Wutai, Reno," Rude's voice was loud, but firm. "If they plan to send people to destroy the support pillars, we take those people out. Until they do something that requires the world to pay attention, we behave as Turks, NOT as SOLDIERS."

Rude was right. ."Sorry, yo. .just. ..I think about alla the people that died 'causea my hand. ..you think I wanna see that again?"

"You can't save the world alone, Reno," Rude's sigh told of a weariness far beyond his now 29 years. "Even were I to help, we couldn't possibly save the world alone. We're Turks; we work in secret, in back alleys with cloak and dagger. We do what we can to keep the nastiness that the ordinary person doesn't need to see hidden from them. ShinRa Company doesn't have the personnel OR resources to fully handle whatever this is leading up to... and probably won't for quite some time. Until then... we do things as we always have."

He nodded again, all he could see is what had led to this wild idea. ..the screams of the people who had died when he'd brought down he plate. He NEVER wanted to have the blood of that many on his hands ever again. "I'm gonna send these to the boss. ..and a copy to Yuffie, too. She's got power n' influence we don't. ..YET"  
m Rude's words came out far harsher than he'd intended, the weariness tainting everything, even his posture. "Do whatever you feel you must." He walked into the kitchen, fully intent on getting something that would burn down his throat to settle warmly in his belly.

With that, a copy of those went to Yuffie and to Rufus' email. ..he headed into the shower, once he did is when the shakes hit as he realized. ..just what it was he'd proposed. It would be a while before Rude realized his partner and husband had been in the shower MUCH longer than normal, and the water was still running.

Rude had taken to drinking his shots of tequila straight from the bottle. After what seemed like forever, but was only in fact half an hour, he wandered into the steamy bathroom. "Reno?" he asked the steamed shower doors.

He was just standing, eyes wide and empty in horor as he completely absorbed just what he'd suggested. He realized now how much more death and destruction doing such a thing would bring, and he said so before stating. "I was seeing Rennan. ..or you. ..trapped there an' I lost my head. ..I can't believe that even came outta my mouth. ..shit. What are we gonna do if they succeed, though. ..what's gonna becomea the boss. ..what's gonna becomea us. ..?" It was a question he knew Rude probably didn't have an answer to. Most of Reno's adult life had been spent under the employ of Rufus or his father. . .he had for so many years literally HAD no where else to go.

Rude set the bottle down only long enough to strip down to his boxers and socks before grabbing the bottle again and stepping into the shower. "Here," he said, handing over the bottle and somehow managed to not get any water from the showerhead into it. Rude? Intoxicated? Never.

Reno took a deep, shaky swig, feeling the burn all the way down to his toes. ..relishing it, reveling in it, letting it ease the shakes before uttering one more single soft and muttered "Shit." He was to be truthful. ..Hell, he was more afraid of what he KNEW they wanted to than he even was of losing Rude.

"We do our jobs. We do what has to be done. Other than that... we deal with what we have to," Rude said carefully, his words slurring only a little.

Reno nodded, holding onto Rude, shaking a little. "I love you. .an' again. ..m'sorry for even THINKIN' that."

"You were... were trying to do what you thought was left--right," Rude replied, the amount of tequila he consumed starting to catch up with him.

"You should try ta get a nap, sleep somea that off. ..Boss'll probably call or email once he gets the stuff I sent 'im, so I GOTTA stay not only conscious but somewhat clear headed."

"'M fine. Worked two almost full days straight. Should get a day off or something..." Rude mumbled, stepping out of the shower with his bottle and dripping on the floor while he looked, one handed, for a towel.

He gave Rude a kiss and about all but tucked him in when the phone rang. "You got what I sent then? Yeah. .I about flipped when I saw it. ..m'more clear headed now, but yeah. ..ya think we c'n get Avalanche and somea Reeves men on this this? I mean, the new tower is sorta Reeve's baby, he'd probably prefer it NOT get toppled at the heighta the holiday season,."

"I will see what finances allow," Rufus replied, which was clear Rufus speak for 'I have no idea what the money situation is, but I know it's not anywhere NEAR as good as it was at the height of ShinRa's power'  
"Gotcha... though I'm acourse lookin' more at the casualty list than the bottom line. .I got some personal stake in this..." He grunted, thinking about all the deaths more than the money.

"We will do what we can, Reno," Rufus said, and the redhead would be able to hear the frustration in the blonde's voice.

"Gotcha for now, I gotta get dinner started. ..Thanks boss." with that the line clicked closed and he started some steaks, the smell filling the house.

Rude, having had his bottle taken away by Reno, quickly made his way back to the kitchen at the smell of cooking red meat.

"Steaks, new potatoes, green bean casserole, even got a cake in there. . .needed distraction."

"Jesus, Reno, it's just the..." Rude paused to count. "Three of us."

"you know I cook for an army when m'stressed."

Rude just nodded, going to the fridge to find something to drink.

"There's tea on the top shelf, as well as some lemonade"  
It wasn't exactly what Rude was going for, but he took down some lemonade mix anyway. Maybe he could get Reno to let him mix in a little tequila.  
"Just a little yo, I want ya to still be able to walk when bedtime comes, yo. ..I can't carry you easy."

"I can walk," Rude said, offering a tiny smile to Reno as he downed a shot.  
And why do I have this mental image of Rude falling on his ass on the way to bed?

"What's with the drinkin' anyway? I know you can't still feel bad about what ya did to save your ass. ..and you normally only drink by yourself when you've done something you know would piss me off. . .usually ta give ya the courage ta tell me."

"Had a taste for it?" Rude said, hoping against hope that would satisfy Reno's curiousity until the tequila gave him more courage.

"Sh, right. Give me a shota that, I have a feeling I'M gonna need it when ya get the courage ta tell me what's on your mind."

"It's nothing," Rude said, trying to cover his predictability. "I just had a taste for tequila... good tequila... from home, even."

"Bullshit." With that he grabbed the bottle, pouring himself one.

Rude sighed, reaching back for the bottle without another word.

"Come on, if ya don't get it out in the open, it's gonna eat you up, and me, because I'm gonna be wonderin' if it's worse than it really was."

Rude shook his head, feeling another shot burn down his throat to settle in his already warm belly. He looked at Reno, really looked at him, and felt himself begin to stir.

Reno gave a "sch" sound of frustration then and got up "It had somethin' ta do with that video, didn't it? 'sonly thing I can think of that happened today that would bug ya that much"  
"Yeah."

"I knew it. ..you.. ." and it suddenly dawns on him. "You fucking pulled your fuckin' pud to that thing. .so. ..what was on it... .you bangin' him into the ground. ..or BEATIN' him into, hmm?" His eyes lit not so much with anger as hurt.

"It was just a kiss," Rude sait to the tabletop.

He just shook his head. "It's the fact you even THOUGHTA him while doin' that. ..when you know how I feel. .." His tone got quiet, the kind of quiet that spoke of hurt too deep for yelling, for anger.

"Which is why I didn't even want to tell you in the first place!" Rude replied, his tone much louder than he intended. "I just... I was caught up in the moment -- you know, that MOMENT you're always talking about? -- and I was remembering how happy I was that day, and it just kinda... happened."

Reno just sighed, shaking his head. "Seems ta be happenin' a lot with you lately." He hung his head, yeah, he in some ways was just as guilty, and he knew it.

"And you're not just as guilty usually? At least I bring it up to you"  
"Never said I wasn't,. .only difference is nonea the people I've been with have been tryin' ta kill you."

"It was just one time, Reno," Rude said pointedly, even though his words slurred slightly. "Don't tell me you've never done it thinking of the President."

"Not in a long damn time. ..I. .I thinka you. .." and it was the honest truth. He just looked up at him. "Shit. .let's just drop this, I don't have the energy. " He bent in and kissed him.

To which Rude kissed back wholeheartedly, not wanting to continue arguing about something he felt guilty about enough as it was. 


	60. Chapter 60

Reno led him back into the room, Lips never leaving Rude's, wanting to make damn sure Rude felt only him.

Rude kissed back fiercly, and not just because of the alcohol. As much as he knew Reno wanted to make him forget about Josh, Rude wanted to make Reno forget about him as well. At least for a little while.  
Reo laid back in the bed, tossing his clothes, they soon were strewn all over the hallway, even now, ravaged by scar tissue and rough life, he was still beautiful.

Rude released Reno's lips, pausing only momentarily to replace them on the pale patch of unmarred skin that ran from Reno's neck to about halfway down his chest.

Reno's breath came out in an explosion of air, a soft moan, the moonlight silvered the moisture in those green orbs, he'd become better at not letting them fall, though they still gleamed in his eyes on occasion, this time. ..banishing Josh from his heart, his mind, his bed. ..or at least trying. His hands reached around Rude's back, clipped nails just barely grazing sensitive skin as his name came out on another low moan.

Rude took a single nipple into his mouth, first just running his tongue over it before nipping gently, then again a little harder until he heard his name burst from Reno's lips in that keening fashion he so loved.

Yes, that slender body was extremely responsive, one of the things that Rude loved so much, the mako he'd used in his younger years along with the enhancements he'd had during Turk training had had the side effect of making his nerves all that much more sensitive, when Rude took that nipple between his lips, the stubble from his goatee stroking and scratching at the skin around it, that moan grew a bit louder. He needed to forget. ..forget Josh. ..forget the storm that was soon to blow over them, forget all of it.

Rude travelled further down, ignoring the flesh jutting up between Reno's thighs, demanding attention, in favour of kissing the insides of those thighs, a trail of tiny love bites left in his lips' wake.

His body fairly shuddered, mouth opening wide and teeth gritting as Rude's name fell from his lips again. ..He didn't know why things were so much more intense after one of their fights, but they always were, he felt his nerves light, his body awakening, and it was wonderful. His back arched for more, he wanted, no NEEDED, even more, fingers splaying across Rude's bald head now.

Rude ignored those fingers, kissing and nipping his way down to those knees and back up again. He gave Reno a tiny reprieve, nuzzling his nose against the warm flesh before moving back up to kiss and suck at the skin along his torso.

With another hitching gasp that sounded almost like half a sob, pleasure washed it all away, the pain of what he felt was a betrayel of his love, though he wouldn't tell the larger man that. He suspected Rude already knew that, though. Rude seemed to know him so well.

"Say it," Rude whispered, his voice deep and harsh-sounding when he made it back up to Reno's ears.

"I love you. ..please. ..never hurt me like that again. ..need you. ..want you. ..need to have you for mine alone. .." the words came out a tortured whispering moan.

Rude shook his head, indicating that wasn't exactly what he was looking for. In an attempt to prompt Reno, he took the redhead's earlobe into his mouth, sucking on it gently as he let his fingertips brush just the tip of his arousal.

And with that it came out in an explosion of air. "Oh Gods, Rude. ..take me. ..make me screech, make me forget it all."

With a tiny smile that he knew Reno would feel, Rude pulled away. He made sure the redhead was watching as he slid to the edge of the bed, putting his legs over as if he were going to stand up. He spoke one word, "Reno," before he gestured with his hand for the man to settle on the floor, on his knees, between Rude's legs.

Reno let Rude guide him, his eyes asking as he settled between them his mouth taking him in eagerly. ..tounge lapping, teeth scraping, his own cock beginning to weep in response to the tiny grunts and moans he drew from the bigger man.

"Mmm... that's it..." Rude mumbled, one hand fisting in the sheets while the other carefully combed fingers through Reno's hair.  
He plunged Rude down, his eyes had finally stopped misting up as he lost himself completely in the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of being with Rude, of giving him the things Josh never had, never could. Sure, they were parents with responsibilities now that Rude had never had before, but there were so many benefits to it, things that made it worthwhile. And there really was no law that said a year from now they couldn't still be doing this. ..or even 20 years from now.

"Right there," Rude muttered, his hips making tiny little thrusts against Reno's lips unconsciously. He had just enough presence of mind to pat Reno's head with the small tube of lube, indicating he wanted the redhead to prepare himself while he was... otherwise occupied.

Reno did just that, his fingers finding and touching spots that caused him to moan around the flesh in his mouth in delightful ways, his eyelids fluttering a bit, long lashes touching angular cheeks.

"You like this?" Rude asked, his fingers in Reno's hair gripping just a little tighter, a completely unconscious movement. "You like sucking me while you fingerfuck yourself?"

A slow nod, and a slight nip were his answer, those lids still fluttering in a manner that told of just how much he did like it.

Rude's head moved back, and he had to release Reno's hair to catch himself from falling backwards. That, however, did not stop his verbage. "Could get off like this, you know..."

"Please... " he spoke around him. "F-fuck me. ..need you. .need to have you inside me."

Rude's hips thrust forward unexpectedly, directly after which he pulled himself from Reno's mouth. "Over the bed," he said, standing and indicating he wanted Reno bent over the edge of the bed.

Reno rose on somewhat pleasure-shaky limbs and bent over for him, his head thrown back, mouth open with tiny gasping pants issuing from those parted lips.

Rude picked up the dropped tube of lube, minutely coating himself before touching just his tip to Reno's entrance. He held the redhead's hips down, stopping Reno from making any movement that might cause Rude to breech him.

"P-please. .." He begged again, the stutter appearing as it did sometimes when he wasn't able to control his tongue and lips as much as he normally did.  
Rude pressed slightly forward, his head just barely stretching Reno's entrance. "Again," he grunted.

"f-fuck me!" it came out a shouted plea.

Rude's hips snapped forward almost before his brain registered it. He paused, feeling Reno's muscles flutter around him as he fought to keep his head.

Reno let out a loud, pleasured screech as he was penetrated, his legs nearly going out from ubnder him.

Rude's hips moved without conscious thought, pulling out and snapping forward without Rude even realizing it was happening. He reached his hand around, already feeling his climax tickling the edges of his senses.

Reno barely felt as his head went even further back, his mouth opening impossibly wide as a loud, sobbing wail echoed from him, his body tensing, knees locking to hold him up as he sprayed with an almost explosive force against the bedding beneath him. . .once the main wave had passed his knees unlocked and his legs began to go out from under him with the aftershocks as he clenched and pulsed and twitched around his husband.

Rude's hips pressed flush against Reno's. He was already buried to the hilt, but with that pulsing sensation, he seemed to be trying to push even further inside before he finally spilled himself inside the redhead.

Finally his eyelids fluttered all the way closed, his knees giving out fully. It had been an exhausting day, both physically and emotionally, but for once, when he dropped against the bed, his face held a little smile.  
Rude pulled himself from Reno's body, then padded softly towards the bathroom for a washcloth to clean up with. And to think, he only managed to run into the wall once on his way there.

Reno had fallen asleep on the bed, leaning against the foot, he was going to be VERY sticky in the morning, but right now he couldn't care less.

Rude brought the warm washcloth with him, and stumbled only a little as he made it back to the bed. He moved Reno carefully, using the washcloth to get the majority of the mess off the redhead. He then pulled the comforter off the bed as best he could with Reno laying on it, rolling the redhead onto the un-comforter-ed part to finish removing the dirty laundry.

Reno let out only a soft groan as he was moved, he was asleep verging on passed out, but he needed it. He just hoped the Josh problem would soon be gone.

Rude climbed onto the bed, pulling up a spare blanket as he tried to curl around Reno to sleep.

When he awakened, he wasn't sure what time it was, but the tv and the coffee maker had turned on with their timers, the tv was ser to the news.

Rude was on the couch with his he couldn't remember which cup of coffee, his hangover and the fact that Reno was sleeping keeping the volume on the television down.

Reno when he came out noted the picture on the tv was of that blond reporter Rude seemed to have a bit of an attraction to reporting on a terrorist attack on a local item shop, his brow lifted as he quietly asked "Wonder if that was one of our holdings?"

"It was. In the past. The President sold it for no profit to a former secretary. She always wanted to own a shop, and was just starting her family..." Rude words were even and almost bland as he tried to move his lips as little as possible.

"Poor woman. ..man, that's just rotten."

"No casualties," Rude replied, his tone indicating that there was at least a good sign in the whole story. "But the store's totaled."

Reno just shook his head, inwardly he wondered if it was them warming up for the big event, it was a distinct possibility, but if he said it out loud Rude would probably just dismiss it as his own wild imaginings.

"There's coffee," Rude pointed out, intending fully to nod his head in the direction of said beverage, but hangover stopping him short from doing so.

"Thanks yo. Oh, I left an elixer for the hangover, but I knew you'd probably rather suffer it out."

Rude nodded, his face scrunching with the pain moving gave him. Reno knew him too well. Thank whatever gods were listening it was his designated day off.

Reno went in to get a shower, despite the quick clean up by Rude his hair was unpleasently sticky, causing him to scrunch his own face in distaste

Rude moved a little slower towards the shower, his headache causing him to mumble a curse every few steps.

He sighed as he made the water more to his taste, then felt the building shake, letting out a muttered curse. "What the HELL?" He didn't look, he was almost afraid to, reminded suddenly of the destruction Meteor had caused.

The shudder of the building had caused Rude to collide with a wall, something that drew out a louder than usual curse.

Reno finally managed to steady himself and called back. "You ok, aibou?" The power was still on, which was a good sign that it was not THEIR building that had taken the hit, but instead one nearby.

"Yeah," Rude's voice sounded terrible when he responded, a clear sign that he was okay... so long as you discounted the damn hangover.

"Tryin' ta take full accounting o' what's nearby. .let's see. .the grocer's. .Dry Cleaner. ." then his face paled when he contemplated the possibiliity. "The elementary school."

"They wouldn't," Rude said softly. He tried to quickly guess what else was around them. "The monorail Reeve was supposed to open today?" he asked, knowing the building was on he opposite side of their block.

Reno looked out the window, and his knees gave out as he shook his head in denial. ..then gestured with a shaking hand. .he'd trailed out of the bathroom stark naked as he was pointing at the destruction. .There was a CRATER where the grocer's had been. ..and the school was missing the entirety of its south wall, kids gathered around outside.  
"Fuck." Rude's tone indicated that he was both upset by the fact that such a thing had to happen so close to his home, as well as the fact that it was supposed to be he goddamned fucking day off.

"I. ..I gotta go make sure Rennan's ok." He almost walked out just as he was before he remembered that just how he was was NOT a way to walk out in public and shrugged his sweats and t-shirt on, he knew Rufus would likely call wanting them to assist the police investigating the attacks, even though he and Rude BOTH knew who it was. . .and that it was them gearing up for the big blow.

Rude chose to just sit on the floor, cursing his luck, his hangover, anything else he could think of at that moment.

Reno found Elena outside the school as he arrived, his eyes begging her to tell him that Rennan was outside among the kids that had gotten out.

"Where's the big guy?" she asked, the dirt and debris giving her previously clean suit an already dirty look.

"Home, he had hangover from Hell. ..I was in the shower when the thing blew, shook the whole fucking building. .where is Rennan? Did you see him among the kids outside?"

Elena pointed towards the only tuft of bright red hair in the crowd of little people.

"Oh Thank Gods. ..what the FUCK kind of people blow up a building right next to a fucking school full of kids? " He was well aware he'd brought down the plate, but he had tried not to think about how many kids died, and at least it hadn't been during school hours. ..he probably would have wanted to shoot HIMSELF right there if it had been. ..besides the fact that it was HIS kid made him feel a lot more outraged about the prospect.

"Formerly owned by ShinRa Company," Elena explained. "Currently... owned, I guess, by a retired SOLDIER."

Reno just cursed quietly, and shook his head. "Man. ..they've become fucking TERRORISTS. ..this shit's gotten the Hell outta hand...Reeve and Avalanche can't ignore it now, they CAN'T."

"It wasn't that long ago Avalanche WAS the terrorits, Reno," Elena pointed out.

"Granted, but shit. ..they saved the fucking world, right?" He was just shellshocked. "And they didn't fucking blow up grocery stores. .or schools."

"In the old days..." Elena reminded him. Back before the group had gotten organized, back when her sister had just started as a Turk.  
He just threw his hands up, terrorists on a small scale blowing up reactors he was used to dealing with. ..but terrorists taking out a grocery store and half of a school. ..that was something else entirely. The fact that his kid was in there added a whole new dimension to the entire thing.

"We really don't need you here. Reeve's sent enough men down to keep the area secure... and I'm more than qualified to do the messy details." Elena's smile told of just how badly she wanted -- needed -- to prover her worth as a Turk yet again.

"Go ahead, I'm gonna take Rennan and get myself back into some sembelance of sanity. ..boss was right to put you on this. ..shit's gotten entirely too personal." There, he'd acknowledged that anything having to do with Krastof's gang was too personal for he and Rude. ..and the fact that the elders were behind it made it a little personal for Tseng as well.

"Probably for the best," Elena said with a smile. She pulled Reno into a hug, telling him, "Go. Your son, and I'm sure your husband, too, needs you."

Reno hugged back, just enjoying the feel of human contact a moment before walking over to Rennan, knowing he'd likely be regaled with tales of how everything had happened. He heard one of the kids murmering about how the little redhead had saved one of his classmate's life by helping her out of the debris and getting her out before the wall collapsed completely.

"PAPA!" Rennan's voice was clearly the loudest of the bunch when the little bundle of energy latched itself to his father's leg.

"Hey, kiddo." He lofted Rennan up onto his hip. "Papa Rude n' I saw the school. ..it shook the whole building. I heard you saved a little girl." He nuzzled Rennan's cheek. "You don't know how proud I am o'you for that."

"It was so LOUD, and MESSY, and Papa Rude would have had a FIT with the stuff that was lying around..." Rennan, like his father, didn't seem to need to stop to breathe when he was speaking out of excitement.

"I was scared for you, Gods, I'm glad you're allright. .." He hugged his son tighter than he ever had. He watched the cleanup crews bring out the debris from the classroom, and had to bury the urge to shield Rennan's eyes when they started bringing bodies out. Yes, becoming a parent definately changed your perception on things.

Rennan looked around, despite his father's attempts to sheild his eyes. "Where's Papa Rude?" he asked.

"Back at the condo, he wasn't feeling well this morning"  
"Is he sick?"

"He'll be ok in a few hours. You want some lunch before we head home? I know they'd be serving lunch right around now."

As if in answer, Rennan's stomach growled. "Yeah, it's probably a good idea. Don't need Papa Rude yelling at us to eat."

"We can stop by Tifa's and grab some sandwiches and some juice and you can tell her all about today, sound good?"

"Okay," Rennan smiled. Like most children, he dealt with tragedy rather well.

The bell rang above the door of the new Seventh Heaven and Reno greeted the dark haired barkeep with a wave. "Hey."

"Afternoon guys," Tifa said with a smile. "We're not quite open yet, but if you guys want something to eat, I can give your order to Denzel. He's our new cook in training."

"Thanks, Tif. ..man, what a day. I'm sure you saw the news. "  
"And since you're both here I'm sure you were at ground zero," she replied, going about straightening what few chairs she'd taken off tables and taking down the chairs she hadn't gotten to yet.

"The condo is less than two blocks from ground zero. .." He shivered, just the tiniest bit.

"There were desks and books and chairs all over the place, Aunt Tifa! I helped Tina get out of the building."

"Really?" she asked, sitting down for a moment by the pair. "Was there anyone hurt?"

"They were bringin' out lotsa bags shaped like people. ..Papa was tryin' ta keep me from lookin'."

Tifa shook her head. Her expression clearly told of how, in her days with Avalanche, something like that would never have even been considered. "But you saved that little girl, didn't you?" she said.

"She's my girlfriend," Rennan beamed, then his face got a little red. "She told me I can marry her when the school gets fixed."

Reno chuckled a bit, "I think we got a lotta years to worry about that yet, slugger." Oh yes ..a LOT of years. ..he hoped.

"Why?" Rennan asked.

"I'll leave you to handle THAT one, PAPA," Tifa said, wandering back towards the kitchen to check on Denzel.  
m "Because girlfriends and spouses are for grownups." 

"Nuh uh," Rennan shook his head. "Bobby's sister is 15 and she's getting married this year. And Allison's sister is 10 and SHE'S got a girlfriend..."

"well, in our house they are." Hee did NOT want Rennan to be a father at 17 almost 18 like he was.

"Oh." And that was the end of that.

When the sandwiches came Reno watched Rennan eat eagerly. though he nibbled on the sandwich. "Go play with Denzel a sec, ok? Me and Tifa are gonna talk for a sec."

"I can help him in the kitchen?" Rennan asked, his eyes lighting up.  
"Go ahead. "And he turned to Tifa now, hhis eyes showing clearly his stress level both between the bombings and his home situation of late.

"Talk to me," Tifa said, sitting down.  
"I don't know what ta do about this situation with Josh. .." He explained to her what Rude had done and then just sighed, shaking his head and lowering his chin into his arms which were flattened against the bar now.

"I don't know what to tell you. He's obviously still harbouring some feelings for him, if it came to that."

"I know. ..shit.. ." He shook his head again. "I can't deal with this shit, Teef. ..the thought of him. ..doing THAT. . .shit, it's tearin' me apart even thinkin' about it."

"Then don't think about it," she replied. "Look, there's not really anything you can do about it, so don't worry. If you've brought it up, and he feels sufficiently guilty, let it go. If it happens again... call me, and I'll beat his ass."

Reno chuckled a little sadly. "I just want him to stop having anything to do with him. ..it wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't tried to kill me several times. .. " "But Rude won't give him up." There. She said it. "You... you can't make him, you know? He has to want to do it, and I think this is one of those things where it's almost like he WANTS to keep himself tied." Tifa paused. "It almost feels like he's setting himself up for a midlife crisis or something."

"That's what scares me so friggin' bad. .you. .." and he whispereed it. "You have no idea what it would do ta me. .. ta Rennan. ..if he took off on us over some stupid idea o'tryin' ta recapture his youth."

"He's just confused right now... and probably just as scared."

"So in the meanwhile, I'm just supposed ta not conront him. ..and hope ta GOD he doesn't walk away?" He looked up at her, and the tears he'd been holding back for days glimmered again, he again fought them off but it was so hard.

"I... I don't know, Reno," Tifa said with a sigh. "I've never had to deal with it before. I've always gone for the younger men, you know that. I guess... I guess the bigger a deal you make of it, the more he's going to question telling you things, and the less he's going to tell you."

Reno nodded, but it still was hard for him to let go of "It's my nature to question things, ya know? In my experience when you didn't ask questions. ..didn't try ta fix things. ..it came back to fuck you in the ass later."

"I think this is one of those things that you can't really help him with, only hurt him. So the best you can do is offer him what support he needs and let him do what he has to. I have faith, Reno," she smiled.

He nodded, even though that sense of unease would not let go. "If he walks away anyway. . .?"

"You did your best." She paused, thinking a moment before replying, "But you have to remember: he left him once. That will always weigh in the back of his mind any time he thinks of him... and Rude's never left you."

Reno nodded again, fighting the urge to curl up on himself. "I'm just sick of the fear. . ..the never knowing where the Hell I stand. ..I want him to be MINE, mine alone. ..am I being selfish to want that?"

"A little," Tifa replied. "But it's justified."

Reno smiled a little then, shaking his head. "This morning. ..for just one moment when we made love I was able to pretend it hadn't happened. ..that everything was like it was last year before all the madness started,. ..but it;'ll never be that way again. ..I wouldn't give up Rennan for all the materia in Wutai. ..but to have this uncertainty out of my life. .. I'd love that."

"There's always uncertainty. It's just a matter of how you deal with it."

"That's the thing. .. he was. ..the one thing I could always be certain of. ..and now. ..he's not." He shook his head at himself again . "Do you know how maddening it is having NOTHING certain?"

Tifa just sighed. "You're making this harder than it has to be, Reno. You're going to end up tearing yourself apart over it, and that won't do either of you any good."

"I know, I think too much, right"  
"Something like that."

"So your suggestion. ..go home, send Rennan out to play for a while. .make love to my husband. ..then let him know how I feel but make sure he knows no pressure. ..but yes, that I do feel like he's betraying me almost when he does stuff like that, though I understand that Josh is going to BE in our lives until he can stand on his own."

"Now you've got it." Tifa's smile could light up even the dark room around them. She glanced at the clock, her eyes instantly widening. "Oh! I'm late. Gotta open up."

Reno called back for Rennan, and as his son came out he picked him up, heading back toward the condo.

Rude had found himself napping on the couch, something he almost never did, for most of the afternoon. He didn't wake up until he heard Rennan's voice from the hallway.

Reno sent Rennan out to play with Livewire before sitting next to Rude. ..his hands gliding gently over his skin.

"Again?" Rude asked, a raised eyebrow indicating that the majority of his hangover had been slept off. "So soon?"

"I. ..I just " He sighed, wanting to explain, but not wanting to make him mad.

"Just what? Killed a puppy? Ate a whole clove of garlic? What?"

"I need you. .and it makes me really uncomfortable and insecure when you do. ..well, things like what you did yesterday. I know it shouldn't. ..but it does. Just like I know all of this new responsibility makes you feel that way. "

"You have me. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Rude replied.  
"I know that. .." and he sighed shaking his head. "please. ..don't get angry with me, allright? I'm just telling you how it feels, not accusing you of anything or even asking you to do anything about it. ..and I know I think too much and need to stop feeling insecure. . ." suddenly he just siezed Rude's mouth, that kiss saying the things he couldn't finda voice for. ..the need and longing that fueled the insecurity.

Rude pulled away after a moment. "If I say I'm sorry can I get another one of those?"

"'course. ..I love you, ya big lug. ..I don't wanna end up losing you over some stupid fucked up mid-life crisis. .." he smiled a little, bending in for another.

"I am NOT having a midlife crisis," Rude denied. "Only old people have those."

Reno just shook his head, and grinned.. ..reaching in to shut him up with yet another breath-stealing kiss.

Rude thought about telling Reno that he should piss the redhead off more often, but he figured that would stop the toe-curling kiss he was currently getting, which would be bad.

Reno's clothes came off first without ever breaking that kiss. ...then he started stripping RUDE without ever breaking it, laying his body against his husband's, his own slender frame shaking with all sorts of emotion. ..the day had been thoroughly draining.

Rude paused for a moment, pulling his lips from Reno's. "Rennan?" he asked.

"Outside in the playground playing with Livewire and Em, with Elena keeping an eye on Em. ...Em'd stay out there until dark if Elena let her."

Rude chuckled. "Just don't want to scar him."

"I know. . .Gods, I love you. ..'swhy I don't wanna ever let you go. ..'swhy I want you to myself so bad, n' I know it's selfish, but I can't help that."

"You've got me," Rude replied, pausing for a moment. "You... and that brat of yours... you got me." There was a tiny smile on his face that went all the way up to his eyes, making them shine as he removed his ever-present sunglasses.

Reno with that leaned over him, then with no preparation except a spit lube drove himself onto Rude with a soft hitching gasp, tilting his head back a bit. "R-Rude. .fuck you feel so great."

Rude had no answer to that. Unless, of course, one would consider a wordless gasp of pleasure an answer. In which case, Rude answered in spades.

His motions were not so desperate as last time, hips lifting and dropping in that circular motion which made that cock bar do things to his guts that made his entire body shiver, his cheeks and the bridge of his nose pinkening as his breath was reduced to tiny pants. ...he was just so damn hot for the man inside him that he couldn't stand himself. . .

Rude found that he couldn't exactly move in that position, so he just let Reno pull the climax from deep within him, something that completely and totally caught Rude by surprise when it happened.

Reno collapsed over onto him as he sprayed between them. .. then got up and got dressed after cleaning himself up. "I guess it'd be a good idea NOT to get caught nude on the sofa when he comes in, eh?" 


End file.
